


The Flame Inside

by felicia_angel



Category: Supernatural, バケモノの子 | Bakemono no Ko | The Boy and the Beast (2016)
Genre: Biphobia, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Fox!Gabriel, John Winchester Being an Asshole, M/M, Naomi is strict but for a reason, Raphael is oddly nice, Single Parent Castiel, Single Parent Dean, Veteran!Dean, best friend!Hannah, fox!Castiel, hound!Hannah, human!raphael, judgemental!Kate, kitsune!Naomi, most angels are beast-people, that is a fox and the hound reference and I am not sorry, unsympathetic!Sam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2019-02-08 08:14:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12860466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felicia_angel/pseuds/felicia_angel
Summary: Castiel is invited to his home for a celebration, and brings his soon-to-be-mate, Dean, with him. Of course, because the world is far too small, even one populated by Men and Beasts, things quickly turn complicated as Dean’s family also show up. And yet, all of this is pretty easy to deal with, when the big reveal is that Dean is a Human, and Castiel is a Beast.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't seen The Boy and the Beast - go see it. This is really loosely based on it, mostly just playing with the world and some of the fun.
> 
> Thanks so much to my wonderful artist, [labluekatt1721](https://labluekatt1721.livejournal.com/8862.html) and to my equally wonderful Beta, Kelly. I'm so gland to have someone help me focus my writing (because I need it sometimes), and the artwork is so pretty. Thank you both!

Led Zeppelin plays over the speakers as the 1967 Impala drives down the road, heading towards Malibu’s ritzy homes and winding coastal roads. These homes are occupied mostly by the Beast Race, as there is a well-known entrance into their world near some of the larger, but now abandoned, multi-million dollar beach homes. The Beasts had revealed themselves to Humanity after an incident during the last war.  A Human, who may have been raised by or at least gained power through the Beasts, had created a sudden explosion of dark energy or something similar during a battle. The Grandmaster of the Beast People, after consulting all the great sages, had decided that Humanity finally needed more guidance than had originally been given, so that the darkness within them could not create such dangerous elements. As a result, Beasts had started to arrive and meld into the Human world, taking on last names that suited their animal and finding a place they fit in, or at least one that accepted them. Despite all the generations that have passed , there is still a great financial divide between Beasts like those in Malibu, and those who appeared in other areas of the world.

  
Castiel Todde lets out a long sigh as he leans against Dean, his thoughts on everything - the hum of the car and music, the return to his old home, the last conversation with Claire and Emma before they were dropped off to stay with Benny, and Dean agreeing to join him for the weekend - all combine to make him feel happy. He knows that Dean has been worrying about meeting Castiel’s family, and Castiel has managed to convince him to come to his mother’s party celebrating Raphael Tweed, her partner, Human lawyer, and best friend. After all, it will allow them to meet Castiel’s family, and leave if things become too hostile.  


Naomi, Castiel’s mother, had invited Castiel just as he and Dean were getting serious, so Castiel had told her that he was bringing a ‘plus one’. If Dean had been unable to go with him, Castiel assumed he could find another friend, like Cassie Robinson, or another Beast who aided the humans and worked towards bettering them and themselves, like Inias. He’d been surprised by Dean’s acceptance, not to mention Claire and Emma’s acceptance of each other and their training, after he and Dean had decided to move in together only a few weeks after they started dating. Castiel was far more surprised when Dean proposed right before they headed off, with both Claire and Emma all but squealing in delight at the fact, even if he cannot bring them with him to meet his family.  


The ring is heavy on the chain around his neck, a match to the one that Dean also wears, though Castiel’s is a deeper color.  The two rings make a puzzle ring, one toned burnished gold and the other a silver color, which Dean had decided to get after seeing a pair and liking the idea. As much as Castiel wants to wear the ring on his finger, he and Dean want to exchange them at the marriage ceremony, whichever type they finally decide on, even if it’s simply when they get the certificate stating they are legally married. Emma and Claire seemed to be pulling for an actual ceremony of some sort, though neither could agree fully on which one or what elements to keep or leave out. Dean had taken the silver to match the silver bracelet he always wore, the charms tingling merrily with any movement, though the addition of a red string, as well as a braided blue rope cord, tended to dampen the sound a bit more.  


It’s still worth having, knowing that soon he can tell his family he’s finally found his mate, the one he wishes to be with forever, and show them just how great Dean is. It’s enough to get Castiel’s tail swishing slightly in happiness as he ruffles his fur to show off, feeling the shirt and cloth of his loose pants make a slight noise at the contact before he hears Dean chuckle over the song.  


“You’re thinking good thoughts again,” Dean says, smiling at him. Castiel shifts to sit up a bit and watch the road, seeing that they’ve stopped at a gas station near the entrance to home. Castiel nods, seeing Dean look a bit worried before saying, “I know you say that they’re understanding and all, Cas, but I mean…I’m just some human, not even a very good one. You really think they’re gonna like me?”  


Castiel lets out a sigh as he gets out of the car with Dean, shrugging. “I like you, and honestly, that should be good enough for them anyway. It’s not like you’d take the ring back if they don’t like you, would you?”  


“Only if you don’t want a Vegas wedding,” Dean jokes, moving around to start filling up the car, then letting out a sigh. “I wouldn’t do that, no, but I don’t like the idea of you having to give up your family. I know you’re not always on the best terms with them, but…” Castiel watches Dean shrug, looking down and appearing almost upset. Castiel wonders if he’ll ever learn more about Dean’s family that had apparently abandoned him so long ago.  


Dean doesn’t mention his family, except for his younger brother Sam, his half-brother Adam who got Dean’s GI Bill money when Dean decided to not go to college, and that the Impala was the last thing he’d ever gotten from his father. Beyond that, Castiel knows next to nothing about why Dean’s family has abandoned him, or if there is any contact with other family members. It reminds him too much of the many stories of children who were adopted by the many Beast People, who left of their own accord or due to the laws of the cities, and who returned for any period of time afterwards. Too many of them were raised on the human side and by more animalistic Beasts, while others nearly always tried to remain in the Beast World, happier there than anywhere else. He knew of a human who’d grown up in the Jutengai region with a boar-Beast, and whose emotional state was now more at peace with the incident he’d had generations ago, before the last major war and the other human who’d let out that energy.  


That had been because of the bear-beast, the one who became Grandmaster for only a few hours, and a God after that, to take out the darkness of two humans raised by Beasts. Sometimes, when Dean is at his lowest, Castiel thinks he might see the darkness spreading, but…it never quiet happens, and Castiel is so happy about that fact.  


“But?” Castiel prompts, his long, fluffy tail down as his ears swish, showing a bit of his displeasure as he walks over to stand near Dean, nose wrinkling at the smell of the gasoline and the other scents in the area. His sense of smell always becomes stronger near an entrance to the Beast-world.  


“I don’t want to be the reason your family’s friends, or your friends, dislike you, or…or whatever they decide to do.” He gives Cas a look that shows all of his worry. “I know you don’t think they will, Cas, I get it, but it ain’t like someone can’t play lip service about ‘equal rights’ but not be into that sort of thing for their friends or family.”  


Castiel knows that arguing the point with Dean will probably not help, and that when Dean finally meets his family – meets Uriel and Raphael, his mother and even Gabriel – he’ll understand that there’s nothing to worry about. Still, what little he knows of Dean’s past has made it clear that dating a Beast might not be seen as the norm – Castiel knows that some Beasts and Humans live together well, while others view it as something disgusting and immoral, too much of a change from how things had been going for thousands of years. It’s why he doesn’t care if anyone sees as he moves to lean on Dean again, getting him to shift and turn before reaching a hand up to scratch behind one of Castiel’s ears, Dean’s normal sign of affection and love.  


“No matter what they might think, I will always be at your side,” Castiel promises him again. “If they cannot accept that, then I am fine with it.” He smiles up at Dean, shifting a bit to be closer to him. “I care for you and you alone, Dean. Nothing they say will change that. And you already promised that you wouldn’t run off if my family or friends don’t like you.”  


Dean chuckles a bit as the gas pump clicks, signaling they have a full tank. “Yeah, well, I’m with you no matter what too, Cas.” He shifts, moving around Castiel to put the pump back while Castiel looks around the gas station, frowning when he sees some humans staring at them. He doesn’t know who they are, but at this point, he’s more than willing to bet they’re the type that view Beasts as simply beasts, or view Humans and Beasts together as immoral and unnatural. Castiel puts it out of his mind as he looks back over at Dean, not seeing the tall man who comes out, and freezes upon seeing the black Impala that Castiel gets into as Dean opens the door for him. “We didn’t have to stop, you know.”  


“I have jitters, Cas! The whole meet the family deal isn’t my thing,” Dean points out as he moves around to go to the driver’s side, neither of them noticing the other man walking towards them, stopped only by the arrival of other cars that block his way. “And either way, I’d rather have gas in Baby so if there has to be a dramatic exit, we don’t have to call up a tow truck.”  


Castiel chuckles and nods as he begins to direct Dean further towards the parking lot behind the long line of expensive homes that now serve as party areas for Beasts and Men alike. “There is that. We wouldn’t want to ruin a dramatic exit, would we?”


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Castiel arrive at the large home, and meet Castiel's brother, Gabriel, and Castiel's best friend, Hannah.

The house that Cas directs them to is one that reminds Dean more of a villa from some grand novel or movie; the driveway looks almost too fragile and expensive to drive on. But the house itself gives  a feeling of not being lived in, though Dean knows that isn’t the case. The houses along this way, nearest the maze-like entrance to the Beast World, are the properties that the Beast men bought and used for their own purposes. Dean has heard of a place like this further from Lawrence, which had been mostly a Human city. Buying up the commercial area had caused a lot of strife between the two races, enough that the area was finally abandoned by the Beasts. Most Humans couldn’t actually go in without experiencing a lot of issues, such as feeling disoriented, suffering similar effects to those in the labyrinth entering the Beast World, or even having their negative emotions causes sudden psychic explosions.

 

Here in Malibu, the area was residential rather than commercial, so the homes were used more for entertaining and staying the night, like a sort of ritzy B&B, rather than selling goods. It will be odd to stay at one, or at least park Baby at one, but Castiel has said that for the most part, they’ll be staying here and watching over everything rather than traveling to the Beast World. Castiel’s home in the Beast World is simple enough, but Dean gets the impression that Castiel doesn’t want Dean in an area neither of them were comfortable with, and so the Human World was a good neutral ground, in case anything does happen.  


Cas directs him to a three-car garage attached to a guest house off the main house. Castiel explains, “This is the one I like to stay in. Mother and the others don’t always use the main house, and this one tends to be the one that other Beast people use the most. At least if we’re visiting the area and dislike the Beast-City nearby.”  


“Do you dislike it…the city I mean?” The only Beast City they’ve been to was the small neighborhood in the city they lived in, and it was so mixed that it was a bit hard to say which one Dean prefered. He’d worked on both sides, with Beasts and humans alike, so it wasn’t like he couldn’t fit in, but supposedly some of the cities were a bit different.  


“I don’t, but it’s not one that I spend a great deal of time in, and honestly I simply am not that good with new areas if I’m with someone else. I would rather be here and in a place that might make you more comfortable, than deal with whatever they decide on. Not to mention that truthfully, I simply like this guest house in particular.”  


“Makes sense, I guess, I wasn’t sure, you being from this area.”  


Castiel glares at Dean, ears flattening in anger, as Dean half-raises his hands in defense. “You said you were from the Yang-na city, and that it was big for wood or something. Besides, I’m not really used to being in a freakin’ mansion – I’m from a blue-collar working family.” Dean stops, shifting and not wanting to go into the more painful memories, not to mention all that Kate had put them through in order to make Dad ‘respectable’. “Look, I’m not used to actual mansions with two guest houses outside of what you see on HGTV, that’s all. I can tell you if it’s bad construction, but with that much money, not to mention so near an opening to the Beast World, I doubt they’d do that.”  


Castiel’s glare lessens and his ears go back up, like they normally do when he realizes that Dean’s teasing, and he instead opens the door for him. The guest house is more the size of a two-bedroom apartment, with one made up as a study for storage and the other with a huge-ass bed, not to mention the small-but-still well-made kitchen, complete with granite and an undermount sink.  


“I suppose I should say someone did invest well in these homes,” Castiel explains as they look around, “but truthfully, so long as I am able to get something good to eat, I’ll be happy.”  


“I knew you were only with me ‘cause of my sweet grilling skills and ability to make that best burger ever.”  


Cas playfully hits him on the shoulder, directing him to the bedroom before saying, “Drop off the bags and we’ll go see if there isn’t some food in the main house. I can give you a tour of the place…”  


“I can get overwhelmed with the house later, for now let’s focus on the food.” He pauses as they head out, looking up at the huge house again before they walk in through what looks like those wood structures in pathways before some big wedding, or approaching a villa, or something equally silly in some romance movie. The vines slowly twirling up the sides are covered partly by colorful clothes that Dean assumes are for the big party.  


“It’s not _my_ home,” Cas says as he moves in next to Dean, linking their arms as he continues. “Yes, I am from Yang-na, but I never did consider it, or this place, my home. Truthfully, that’s part of the reason I moved where I did, not to mention why…” He sighs and slowly wraps his tail around Dean’s waist, tickling some of the exposed skin. “It’s why I like being with you.”  


Dean shifts a little, so instead of watching the pool beside him, or the brick outdoor fireplace they are heading towards, he can look out down the long lawn and to the vast expanse of ocean and beach. The odd sense of time is something Dean’s gotten used to in their own town, whenever he visited Cas in the Beast World, but this area’s ritzy look and grandiose feel is more offsetting than any of the weirdness from the pathway. “Still not used to that, Cas.”  


Cas chuckles, even as his tail pulls a little tighter around Dean’s waist. “I know. I enjoy living my life as we are now, and while it is wonderful to know I have a place here, I am more than content living with you.”  


Dean smiles happily at Cas, moving in to kiss him as the door opens loudly and they hear, “CASSIE!” before turning to see a blond-colored fox rushing towards them. He is wearing a red vest with a white, long-sleeved shirt with tapered sleeves, opened up into a deep v-neck that would’ve been better suited for a porno, and dark , loose pants that are cropped halfway up the shin, along with simple sandals. Next to him is a taller, dark-furred hound-like woman who is more typical of some of the Beasts he’s seen, with fur covering much of her human features, with a lighter amount around her face. She is dressed in a modest, light blue dress, and following at a casual distance with some obvious trepidation. Dean glances over at Cas, seeing the look of sheer upset on his face, and has to guess that the fox is either Balthazar or Gabriel. Dean glances back at the other fox as he stops and frowns, glancing between the two. “Wow, I didn’t think you’d have the _cajones_ to bring someone to the big shindig…I mean, I know mom said you were doing a plus-one but I guessed it would be that cutie who’s way out of your league like last time, or--”  


“Dean,” Castiel says over the fox, who looks both annoyed and hurt by the interruption, “this is my brother Gabriel, and my friend, Hannah Copper.”  


Dean blinks as he looks over at Hannah, who seems poised for a joke. Dean is reminded of that one movie he’d seen as a kid, or the other that recently came out, as Hannah says, “It’s nice to meet you. Cas mentioned you a few times, though he never actually described you, so I suppose you could be someone different.” Hannah at least looks pleasantly surprised by Dean, though also seems to be constantly glancing between the two and the lack of space. Castiel doesn’t move, and Dean isn’t about to either. He might be used to acting a certain way with his family, but it’s been eight years since he had his first ‘gay panic’, then his whole ‘furry’ thing, and now he’s come to terms with a lot of stuff about himself. He’s not going to be intimidated by these guys when he’s won over everyone else he’s worked with, even if they need to tell him bluntly and he never quite believes it.  


“No, this is the Dean I mentioned, and I didn’t have a reason to describe him, not when introducing him is easier,” Castiel says again, tail shifting to move away from Dean, something Dean knows happens when Cas is getting ready to play host. “We were just heading into the main house to get some food, and see if there was any we could move into ours for the time being.”  


Gabriel eyes the two of them before Hannah asks, “Are you staying long? It’s normally very hard to get you back over here.”  


“A good point, Cassie,” Gabriel says with a sudden, large, toothy smile. “I mean, you haven’t even told us anything about that book you were writing.”  


The four head towards what appears to be the entrance to the kitchen. Dean eyes the Carrera marble – probably a new addition, since everything else seemed more build up from old 1950’s style housing – as Gabriel explains, “You missed Missouri, she was going down to order up more food for us omnivorous beasties. You’d like her, Dean-o, she’s a Human like you.”  


“Not all Humans get along, just like not all of us do,” Hannah points out as they enter. “And she left a few things for us to snack on, so don’t go ruining your appetite just yet, Gabriel. Besides, she also has to go and pick up more food for the whole thing, doesn’t she?” Dean frowns at the name, something about it seeming familiar to him as Gabriel waves off Hannah’s concerns and opens the refrigerator, pulling out something that screams “I am going to give you diabetes just by _knowing_ I exist” and then pulling open a drawer for a fork, leaving the fridge open. Dean takes the moment to look through it, checking out the options as Gabriel continues. “So, Cas, how did you meet hot patootie here?”  


“I might like Rock ‘n Roll but I’m not quite that bad.” Dean gives Gabriel a look when he appears lost. “ _Rocky Horror_? Did you not see that? Anyway, we met after I punched out some guys giving him issues at a bar. I only realized he worked with a friend of mine when he showed up at _my_ work, wanting an interview. We went to a café and he kept showing up around lunch break, trying to get more for his big story, only now it’s a book instead of a simple article.”  


Castiel offers a smile as Dean continues. “So we start talking, and after a bit, some of our friends apparently decide we’re being idiots and pull a sort of intervention.”  


Gabriel snickers even as Dean returns Castiel’s smile. Neither seem to notice the serious consideration that Hannah is giving them. Castiel watches as Dean blushes and looks down, finishing up the snacks – a sandwich for himself, a few protein-heavy cuts of meat for Cas. Castiel continues the story. “We _were_ acting like idiots, in a way. Cassie at least managed to get us to where we realized the issue, and finally to where we just…got together.” He smiles and looks back up at his friends. “We’ve had a lot of help from our friends as well.”  


“I didn’t think you had so much overlap in…what _do_ you do, Dean-o?” Gabriel asks as Dean hands Castiel his snack, barely catching the glare Castiel sends him during that pause as Dean answers easily.  


“I do a variety of stuff – construction sometimes, helping out with setting up music concerts in the summer season. Mostly I work out of a food truck with my friend from the Navy.” He smiles and shrugs. “It ain’t much, but it’s something to do, and I like the work. You get to travel a lot, and we’re pretty popular on both sides.”    


Gabriel raises his eyebrows as Hannah leans against the counter, looking a bit like she’s not sure how to take it. Castiel adds, “We were lucky to be able to get time off together to come for this event, but…with how long we’ve been together, Dean wanted to meet my family and friends.”  


Hannah frowns before asking, a bit quietly but curious, “You met him when you were harassed at a bar, and then again for that joint interview that you and…Robinson…did?”  


“Yes,” Castiel says, smiling as he sees Hannah doing the mental math and Gabriel’s confused look. “Yes, it’s not been very long, but--.”  


“Half a year and you’re introducing him to the family already?”  


“WHAT?” Gabriel nearly squawks as Castiel does his best to not roll his eyes at his friend’s actions.  


“Castiel, the last time you brought anyone home, you’d been dating them for nearly four years and were still hedging on if you two would even _mate_ ,” Hannah points out, causing Dean to nearly choke. Castiel glances to make sure he’s alright before looking back at Hannah and Gabriel, who are both gawking at him, as if waiting for an answer. He remembers Balthazar’s visit and everything that had occurred there, not to mention the huge fight they’d had a month later that had resulted in their decision to break up. Dean, though…  


The weight of the ring on the chain, the knowledge that Dean has an identical chain and near-identical ring, drive Castiel to say, “Dean’s different.” It isn’t enough of an answer, he can see that, but he also knows that it should be enough for Gabriel and Hannah.

 

The doorbell rings and Gabriel shakes his head, as if to clear it, before heading out of the kitchen. Hannah glances between Castiel and Dean and finally lets out a sigh. “I can see that, I suppose. And I’m sure I’m not one to judge, considering that it was your clan who decided to stop this nonsense about leaving all the Humans alone, and it was Iozen’s clan that helped bridge the gap, but you know what you two are walking into, right? Yang-na is said to be very understanding of the humans who wander in, and this area is said to be very liberal in their beliefs…but…”  


Dean offers her a smile before saying, “I can handle it.”  


“Are you sure? You two were in a fairly safe area, last I checked,” Hannah said, sounding upset at Dean’s lack of interest in her warnings.  


Castiel sighs as he puts down his finished plate. “We have both dealt with many things, Hannah, and I know you’re worried about me. But I will be fine, and Dean is strong as well. We can handle whatever they say to us, or don’t say.”  


Hannah glances between the two of them again before her long, floppy ears twitch, as if listening to something, and she glances over before wrinkling her nose. “I think one of Mr. Tweed’s students is at the door.”  


“That so bad?” Dean asks, curiously as she glances at him, then back to Castiel, as if she’s not sure which one to speak to. Dean shifts a bit before saying, “I gotta go out and get some stuff from the car. I’ll be back.”  


Castiel starts to say Dean’s name, but he’s already out the back door.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few issues are brought up, and Dean's brother appears suddenly.

Castiel shoots a glare at Hannah, who seems to have relaxed since Dean left. “Speaking of those who have their own prejudices…”  
  


“You know it’s not going to work out, Castiel. I know you, as does Gabriel. We were simply being polite, like we are with Mr. Tweed’s students.” She glares back over at the door. “So many of them are simply curiosity-seekers and humans who wish to unlock more of their potential powers, and so seek a way into our world to gain power through their own Darkness. I’m honestly amazed you think that yours won’t go down that path and become a danger to yourself and your community when this all ends.”  
  


“He’s not like that,” Castiel tells her, glancing to where he sees Dean standing near the Impala, as if trying to figure out what to take out to make it look like he’s busy. “I don’t know the whole story, only pieces from others who care for him, but so far the only family who even cares remotely for Dean is his brother Sam, and that depends on what Dean is doing. Yet despite that, and all that happens to him when it comes to setting up a stall in our world, or a place in the human one, Dean has never shown signs of being swallowed by Darkness, nor has he exhibited signs of becoming a being of malice.” Castiel considers a long moment before saying, “I brought him here to show that what I really want in a mate, I have found in Dean.” He glances back at Hannah before adding, “I never really thought Balthazar was my mate, but after so long together, why wouldn’t I bring him to meet you all? With Dean, though it’s been faster. I have never felt so comforted or at peace as with him.”  
  


“That’s cute, baby bro,” Gabriel says, having returned from speaking to the students, or so Castiel assumes. “But you haven’t quite thought this through. Do you really think you two are gonna last, Cassie? He’s a Human.”  
  


“Yes, and there are plenty of Human and Beast relationships that end well,” Castiel argues back. He straightens as he feels his tail bristle, the start of a change to his larger, more bestial form making him shiver a bit through his spine, seeing both of them back down. No matter what Gabriel might argue, Castiel was the one who had taken up their clan’s skill in fighting, who wore the coat that had wings upon it, and as such, he was very dangerous. Though he didn’t bring his weapon with him, he’s near enough to home that he can easily retrieve one, even if it’s not his.  
  


“Dean is my mate, and we care for each other. We are getting married, no matter what--”  
  


“WHAT?” “You’re WHAT?”  
  


He feels his anger leave, replaced with a sudden fear as he realizes what he’s revealed, before his ears flatten as he recalls that there was no pause – not from him, not from Dean – when they decided to be mates, to marry, and he sees no reason why he should be afraid or apologize for this. Both Gabriel and Hannah are looking at him like they can’t figure out what to say, and Castiel lets out a long breath before saying, “I’m going out to see how Dean is. If you two want to simply view him as something that can give into Darkness, instead of seeing him as one who defeats his own Darkness, then you can. But I will not change my mind in this. We are mates, and will be married. I did not need to tell you or anyone else, but I have chosen to do so. I will not change my mind, and neither will Dean.”

+

 

Dean feels better near the Impala, feels better being out of the rich house and the judgmental glares that Cas’ friends have been sending him, or that he thinks they’re sending him. Honestly, Dean would be a bit surprised if they’re not in there trying to convince Cas how bad an idea it is that he is dating a human.

  
Dean glances at the Impala and the small guest house they’re staying in, wondering what he can retrieve to take into the guest room when he pretty much took in everything, except the gift he and Cas had gotten for Raphael and Naomi, which they wanted to leave in the trunk. Whatever the big shindig was about, it was apparently important, so they’d gotten something nice. Dean’s also sure that it would help to cover up anything if the family didn’t like him, but as it stands, he’s not sure he wants to be accepted if they won’t simply take him as he is and take Castiel’s word on how much they’re in love. Dean hopes that it doesn’t get to that – honestly, he really doesn’t want to—  
  


“Dean?” The sound of Sam’s voice makes Dean freeze before he glances behind him, seeing his brother walking up the driveway, looking surprised. He looks good – tall, dressed in a dark suit and with his hair a bit longer and shaggier than what Dad normally allowed. Dean blinks at seeing him, surprised enough that he almost doesn’t register the hug that Sam gives him until he has to return it.

 

“Dean, what are you doing here? I thought I saw you before, but I missed talking to you.”  
  


Dean blinks before smiling and patting Sam on the back. “I’m here with Cas.”  
  


“Cassie’s here too?” Dean frowns at the question, Sam moving away to look around before shaking his head. “No matter, did you know that Missouri works here?”  
  


“I just heard,” Dean says, realizing that he was probably right on who it was that worked the place, and he hopes that she doesn’t bother him about anything. She isn’t big on the fact that he’s bi, seeming to think that’s just an excuse he made about…well, something. Dean never got a straight answer about what it was that made her so upset about it after he’d finally talked to her and gotten such a cold reception.

 

Not that Sam knows Dean is bi. After Missouri’s attitude,  Dean was afraid to tell anyone until Benny, and while Dean wants to tell him, Sam seems far more interested in talking to Dean about everything else that is going on. Dean blinks at him before finally asking, “What are you doing here anyway, Sammy? I thought you were up at Stanford?”  
  


Sam smiles him, looking proud of himself. “I got an internship at Tweed’s law firm, so I’m down here now. What’s Cassie doing here, an article about the area or something else?”  
  


Dean lets out a long sigh, shaking his head. “I’m not dating Cassie, Sam. We’re just friends. I’m here with Cas.”  
  


Sam blinks, looking confused before shifting and saying, “Seriously? Since when did you break up with her? And who’s this new Cas?”  
  


“Three years ago,” Dean answers the first question, trying to recall if he’d been talking with Sam back then and if he knew about it. “I just started dating Cas a few months ago, but we really hit it off, moved in and are getting really serious.”  
  


Sam smiles at that, going from confused and concerned to suddenly really happy. “That’s great! I’m glad to know that you’re finally starting to settle down and not just screw every available lady.”  
  


Dean opens his mouth to say something, but Sam just talks over him, apparently not noticing him. “I mean, I know you were like, a new girl every week in high school, but--”  
  


“Dude, no I wasn’t,” Dean interrupts, getting Sam’s attention. “I was dating Robin and after Dad pulled that ‘we’re going on a family trip right before prom and you can’t tell your date’ shit, we broke up.  I was dating that Amanda chick who decided I _had_ to meet the family after we made out _once_ , and she wouldn’t take no, so I asked Charlie to pretend to be my girlfriend, even though she was dating Gilda.” Sam blinks again, as if he can’t quite believe what Dean is saying, before Dean just lets out a long sigh. “Point is, I had maybe three girlfriends in high school. The others I was friends with and not dating.”   
He doesn’t point out that he and the other girl’s boyfriend, Cole, had a brief thing before both panicked and claimed it was just them being…well, experimenting. It ‘helped’ that Dean could ‘look like a girl’ and that Cole ‘was the top’ — he totally wasn’t, but honestly Dean didn’t care about Cole’s need to feel like he was in control — but being in the Navy, away from home had helped. The end of DADT rules was also a bonus but Sam never asked him about that, and Dean wasn’t really up for telling him about it today.  
  


“I just remember what I saw and heard, Dean,” Sam says as he shifts, looking a bit annoyed before adding, “You were with some new girl and the big man on campus for it, and Dad was encouraging you to get a _girlfriend_ , _any_ girlfriend, since you weren’t actually dating them, just staying over at their homes, which meant you were sleeping with them.” Dean wonders if Sam had even heard of lesbians and beards or knew that you could stay over with someone and not sleep with them. Considering Dad and Kate hadn’t, he doubts Sam had. “I don’t remember that big trip being right before prom, though.”  
  


“You weren’t in high school then, and it was right before Kate got him to settle down,” Dean says, not mentioning that it was actually Dad trying to have his one last freak-out before Kate caught him. Nor does he mention that, when he finally spoke to Robin about it, Kate had been the one who’d ruined his chance. He and Robin had admitted that they probably would’ve been a great couple, had it not been for Dad and Kate’s bad timing, but both were happy where they were and both wished each other the best.  
Sam nods, apparently vaguely recalling the time before he asks, “How does Cas know Mr. Tweed? Is she one of his former students?”  
  


“No, he--”  
  


“SAM!” Another voice makes Dean look over, frowning when he sees the guy that he vaguely recalls from when he and Cas had stopped for gas. He’s shorter than Sam or Dean, with rich, dark brown hair and a sort of squirrely look to him.

 

E _ven the squirrels on the Beast side don’t look as squirrely as he does._  
  


“Hey, Brady, this is my brother Dean,” Sam says with a smile. “Dean, this is Brady Slade, he’s one of the other students under Mr. Tweed. We both came down from Stanford.”  
  


“It’s a big deal,” Brady says with a smile. “Mr. Tweed doesn’t really take anyone from Stanford for whatever reason.”  
  


“Huh, well, I’m glad to hear you two managed it.” Dean smiles at them, noticing some of the weird looks that Brady is sending him. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Castiel seeming to argue with Hannah and Gabriel in the house, even seeing him start to ‘puff up’, like the fighters tended to do whenever they were preparing to square off or deal with some issue. He swallows, trying not to think how sexy that is – that Cas would puff up like that, turn a bit more bestial to defend them – and he knows that if he brings it up, he’ll have to do the same, in his own way, to defend himself against Sam.

 

That’s kinda the problem, though. Sam seems to back him up when it’s something Sam wants Dean to do, or something that Sam himself wants to do, but when it’s something he disapproves of, Sam is quick to point out the flaws in whatever Dean is doing. What he doesn’t like is the way that Brady is glancing at him before he says, “Oh, I talked with that Gabriel guy, and he said we’re welcome to come with family or friends to that big thing tonight. I guess tomorrow is more a family-only thing.”  
  


Sam smiles at that, then shifts and looks over at Dean. “Dad and Mom are gonna be here too. They wanted to thank Mr. Tweed for everything, and, I mean, I know you and they aren’t--.”  
  


Brady speaks up, “What’s up? Are you not gonna be around?”  
  


Dean glances at him and then at Sam, who looks like he’s not sure how to talk to Brady, before he says, “I’m gonna have to see if Cas will be there or not. I’m not gonna just crash some party when I don’t know anyone.”  
  


Sam shifts a bit before saying, “I’ll see you later tonight then, ok? I know Dad and Mom will be glad to see you.”  
  


Dean manages a smile and nod before they turn to leave. Dean watches the Dodge Charger heading out before glancing back to the main room, seeing that Cas has left and is now watching him curiously.  
  


“Hey,” Dean says, walking over and smiling at Cas as he watches him. “You ok? I saw you start to fluff up in there.”  
  


“It’s not ‘fluff’,” Cas argues, making Dean smile a bit at his glare and upset look, his ears down and tail swishing unhappily. “Who was that?”  
  


“My brother, Sam,” Dean says, glancing and then shifting, now worried himself. “He said there was some big thing tonight, then the family thing tomorrow. He’s bringing my family up to thank Mr. Tweed for giving him a job.” He shifts a bit before saying, “I think his friend saw us at the gas station.”  
  


“Are you worried about them finding out you’re with me?” Cas’ voice sounds almost upset, and Dean shifts again, looking affronted at the implication.  
  


“It’s not that, Cas. I don’t want to come out to my parents and family about being bi at some big shindig for your family. I don’t want to have the celebration for someone else be ruined by some fight with my family over how I ‘turned gay’ or something stupid like that.” Cas’ upset seems to calm. Dean explains, as they turn and walk a bit away from the house, not wanting anyone to listen in. “We’re gonna have enough issues with your friends and maybe family because of--”  
  


“Dean…” Cas moves up, reaching over to wrap his arms around Dean and trap him, soothing all of his nervous energy. “Whatever my family thinks, I love _you_. You are my mate, my love, and I will not break away from you just because of what they say, or what your family might say. Will you?”  
  


Dean shakes his head, burying his face in Cas’ dark fur at his shoulder and breathing in the earthy smell and soft fur. “We should’ve done the Vegas wedding before this. Or after, I’m sure the girls would love it.”  
Cas chuckles, his tail winding around Dean’s leg and his soft breath tickling the back of Dean’s neck. “Probably, though if my family is going to shun me, I would rather they do it now, instead of later, and I doubt I could come up with an elegant way of explaining how I feel about you, or our choice in this.” Dean moves his head a bit, still keeping his face in Cas’ fur and slowly wrapping his arms around Cas’ waist, where the sash wound around and the soft shirt met the durable pants. “I told Hannah and Gabriel.”  
  


Dean shifts a little, enough to look back at Cas. “Was that during your fluffy phase?”  
  


“It’s not fluff.”  
  


“Well?”  
  


“I wished to explain to them the difference between you and Balthazar.”  
  


“Besides the fact that I’m better looking and that he’s really better as a friend?”  
  


“Dean…”  
  


“He is. Let him run off and pretend an orgy should be called a ménage a twelve or whatever, he’s happy now like that, and he was happy you were happy when we met him.”  
  


“You two always fight,” Castiel points out, shifting a little to lick along Dean’s ear and making him shiver, and not from the tickling sensation that most would associate with a dog-like tongue licking your ear. Dean lets out a low growl as Castiel continues, hand moving down along his hip. “I didn’t think you two were friends.”  
  


“We’re not,” Dean tells him, nuzzling Castiel’s cheek and suddenly not caring where the others are or if they see. “But we care about you, and Cassie and Gilda are good at getting the two of us to open up. Also Charlie is _really_ blunt and for a little girl, she can hold her alcohol in a game of ‘never have I ever’.”  
Castiel’s tail stops wrapping around Dean’s leg and he shifts, looking over at Dean. “I…don’t want to know?”  
  


“No, and you won’t get it out of Balthazar either,” Dean says with a smile before kissing Cas on the nose. “Do you want to go back there, or get anything?”  
  


“I’d rather relax,” he tells Dean, making him pout before Castiel chuckles a bit and kisses him fully. The deep kiss and touches cause Dean to shift a bit closer to Castiel before the kiss breaks off. “Actually relax, though.”  
  


“You’re such a tease,” Dean mutters as they head back to the guest house, not noticing the audience of two who watch them from the kitchen.

+

 

“I should be disgusted,” Gabriel mutters, seeing them leave with Cas’ tail wrapping around Dean’s waist. “I should, shouldn’t I?”  
  


“Probably,” Hannah says, watching them head back toward the guest cottage. “But I never saw Castiel at peace enough with someone to actually kiss them in public.” She wants to argue more, wants to see something wrong with this human that has come into Castiel’s life, obviously on a lie, but as she watches them, she can’t find a fault. Castiel is in love, the human is in love with him. She knows that overall, many Beasts view Humans as creatures who can be helped, who can gain the necessary ability to become powerful and thoughtful like the Grandmasters and even some of those who ascended into Godhood. She thinks back to the God of the Sword, and the Human he had gone to after his ascension, so soon after being named Grandmaster and then being hurt by a Human consumed by Darkness. She thinks of the one called Mowgli, who’d lived between the realms of forest and Humans, even managing to gain insight enough to become powerful, as powerful as any Grandmaster. But for his heritage, Mowgli could have easily become a powerful influence, even a great God when he ascended, had he not been a Human.  
  


It’s weird to think that such a thing – a Human mate – would be what Castiel needs, instead of a Beast of his kind, or even a Beast in general. For much of her life, Hannah had hoped she would be the one for Castiel, and she’d seen that some animals could mate and create children of mixed species. She’d even heard of half-Human children, though before the thought would have sent a shiver down her spine, now…she feels almost unhappy that Castiel’s mate wasn’t a female Human.   
  


How would Castiel continue his clan line with a partner like that Human? Though Gabriel was the oldest son, he showed no sign of taking up the clan’s fighting style or any of their ability, only Castiel had. By marrying and mating with this Human, there was no chance of continuing that line, to ever have a good kit and raise it right. There is no way for him to have a happy life with this Human.  
  


Yet…Castiel is happier with this Human. He was ready to defend this Human, ready to kiss him and be with him intimately, in public. It should be disgusting, it should make her shiver and growl even more than she had at the thought of the half-Human taking on the Todde banner and clan, but…but it doesn’t. Instead, she feels a strange sense of happiness, because _Castiel_ is happy with this Human, and it’s almost confusing to her. She wants him safe, protected, loved, and the feeling that she shouldn’t see the Human as the one to bring Castiel that love and affection, that it should be _her_ …is now gone.  
  


How odd. Hannah supposes that seeing an actual Human and Beast relationship, instead of having only the concept and her own disgust at the thought to go on, has changed her mind. It makes no sense, but she has heard of that happening in some cases. You simply had to meet or see a strong enough Human for your beliefs in them to change. It’s probably why she hates so many of Mr. Tweed’s students – they keep their anger and Darkness and simply use it to create psychic powers instead of giving it up and realizing what they’re doing is dangerous. Tweed does his best to try to dissuade the feelings that could bubble up, working with multiple clans and even some Humans, raised by Beasts, who exhibited the Darkness in their soul to learn how they controlled it. However, the current students were not ones that Hannah believes can be trusted with that power, and from what little she knows of Mr. Tweed and the others he’s trained, he is beginning to believe that too.  
  


It should color how she sees that Dean Human, but it doesn’t. He seems like a good fit for Castiel, and that Castiel wishes to mate and marry him, when he has never quite shown that interest in anyone else, Man or Beast…  
  


“HEY! Earth to Hannah,” the sudden interruption of her introspection makes her look over at Gabriel, surprised he’s still there and trying to speak to her. “What was that?”  
  


“I was thinking…about how happy Castiel looks.”  
  


Gabriel snorts, looking back out to where Dean and Cas had disappeared. “Yeah, well, obviously that Human just did something to him to make him seem like that.”  
  


“You don’t believe that,” she protests, blinking at how quickly she’s gone from trying to get Castiel to rethink the matter to now defending him.  
  


“I do, because I _know_ Humans. Even Tweed isn’t that great of a guy, and why Mother still hangs around him, I have no idea. But she thinks he’s a good man, and she’s powerful enough to put a stop to any of his students and their idiocies. It’s why I told that Sam kid that he could come and visit and bring his ungrateful parents too.”  
  


She frowns at the news, confused and a bit upset. “You invited Sam’s family as well? Why?”  
  


“He asked, and I figured it would be the best time for him to lose it. He always argues with his father over the phone, that’s a sure sign of his Darkness acting up, and then Mom will show him what-for, and he’ll be done. There. I just didn’t expect Cassie to also need his head examined, or that I’d have to see if Mom would throw someone out.” Gabriel suddenly perks up, ears twitching happily and a smile on his face. “I know! That guy said he’d been in the military and did a few things on our side – I have a friend or two over there, I can ask them what they know about the guy. Perfect! I can even get it before the big shindig.”  
  


“Gabriel, really!” Hannah chastises, even as she follows Gabriel out of the kitchen and into the main room, upset as she sees his tail swishing with delight – the same type of swishing she’d seen from Castiel when he spoke of Dean. “Castiel is happy, the Human has shown himself to be a good one, and Mr. Tweed can handle his own students without Naomi’s help, how can you think of doing something so cruel that could turn into such a disaster?”  
  


“It won’t be,” Gabriel told her with a shrug before he got to the phone, an old style that he had to use by spinning the dial and picking up the receiver, unlike some of the cell phones that didn’t always work over on the Beast side. “Mother is a powerful kitsune, and those two would make talentless actors – they’re always changing their tone depending on who’s around. Having his father here will only show Tweed how bad that one is, and that could even show Castiel his problem. Besides, I doubt that letting out the air from his tires will work.” He turns away from her, speaking quickly into the phone and apparently trying to sweet-talk someone on the other side as she lets out a huff and turns, making sure to step heavily on Gabriel’s tail, enough that he  lets out a yelp in pain before she picks up the phone, saying, “It was nothing, goodbye,” and hanging up.  
  


“HANNAH!” Gabriel says, baring his teeth at her even as he brushes his bushy tail. “That _hurt_.”  
  


“Good. Think about the consequences of your actions, Gabriel, and don’t try to hurt your brother’s happiness. I might not be able to stop the other ‘trick’ you’re pulling, but I will stop this one. He is to be mated into your family, and married in as well. Do you not think that Naomi and Mr. Tweed will already look him up and make sure everything is alright? Or that Castiel doesn’t know the Human he loves? It’s not our place to do this, so you need to stop being so rude!”  
  


“What’s that about Gabe being rude?” They turn at the new voice, seeing Missouri Mosley with armfuls of groceries as she prepare for the night. Gabriel looks over at her like he wants her to feel sorry for him, as Hannah explains, “Castiel and his soon-to-be mate are in the guest house, and Gabriel doesn’t like him, or Mr. Tweed’s students.”  
  


“Oh? Why is that?” Missouri is apparently on the side of the students as Gabriel looks hurt. Hannah shakes her head and takes some of the items to bring them into the kitchen. Gabriel doesn’t follow, probably trying to call his friend back while Hannah is away.  
  


“He doesn’t think they take the dangers of being overtaken by Darkness seriously, and also doesn’t like the one Castiel brought, but I think he’s simply being an overprotective brother in that case,” Hannah says, not sure how well the idea of Castiel being with a Human will go over with Missouri. Things should be good, but she doesn’t know. Besides, she also doesn’t want her to bother the two while they’re alone. “He’s got a point about the current students of Mr. Tweed, though.”  
  


“Sam’s a good boy,” Missouri says, “I know his Daddy and the family’s best friend. Sam’s been doing a lot for his family after that idiot brother of his left.” She pauses, putting some of the food away before adding, “But that guy with him, Brady, he’s not that nice. He keeps acting two different ways whenever he shows up, depending on who’s there. And Dean wasn’t so bad.”  
  


Hannah feels her ears go up, curious and confused as Missouri shakes her head, as if she’s upset about something. Hannah asks, “Forgive me, but…what did Dean run off from?”  
  


“He ran off from being in the mechanic business with his dad. Boy didn’t have the grades for college, let alone the smarts like Sammy.” Missouri tells Hannah, finishing up with putting things away before adding, “But he went off into the Navy. He looked really nice in them whites.”  
  


_Oh…oh dear…_  
  


It looks like Gabriel’s trick is going to take a turn for the worse, and far sooner than Gabriel thought.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family and friends try to figure out Castiel and Dean, while Dean and Castiel are just happy to be together.

Dean smirks a bit as Castiel blinks, pausing in removing Dean’s Levi’s as he opens them and sees what’s underneath. The white boxers were standard, sure, but the roaring bear on the front was not, and Castiel recovers enough to glare up at Dean.  
  


“What? I thought your family liked bears.”  
  


“That,” Castiel says as he gets up, pulling Dean close to him, Dean’s shirtless chest bumping up against Cas’ furred one, the tickling sensation of the fur making Dean squirm. The only problem is that his long-sleeved flannel shirt is now stuck at both wrists, effectively trapping him as he wiggles to get out, and Cas has a wicked look on his face as he finally continues, “is not something I would have expected from you. You’re mine, not some bear’s.”  
  


“You don’t know the bears I’ve had,” Dean jokes, earning a low growl out of Cas as he apparently can’t figure out the difference between Beast-bears and…well, the homosexual type of bears. Which he hasn’t had, but he likes to tease Cas about the idea that, as a bisexual, he’s obviously had everything and everyone.  
  


Castiel hates it when he does that – pretends to be the stereotype and puts himself down – but for Dean, it’s become a way to joke about what he really is. He likes sex, yes, but he also likes knowing and really caring for the people he screws. He isn’t good at one-night stands, not unless they are, and he doesn’t sneak out on them in the morning. He’s the ‘breakfast before I go’ type of guy.

Not with Cas, though. Cas was his first really serious thing, and if things went well with Emma and Claire…  
  


“You’re worried about them, aren’t you?” Cas asks, nuzzling against Dean’s neck, the cold nose nearly causing Dean to jump in surprise as he moves to hide his face again.  
  


“I want them to be ok, Cas. I know they like each other, and they’re fine with us, but--”  
  


“I didn’t bring Claire along because I doubt she’d like the…structure…of this place. It’s why I train her at home, not here. She learns better in her own way, not in the same way that they taught me, or that Mother might teach her. Donna will take care of them.”  
  


“Benny’s gonna spoil them rotten.”  
  


“That too.”

 

Dean feels the rumble in Castiel’s chest as he chuckles. “But I’m fine with that. We can still call them to tell them about what’s happening.”  
  


Dean wants to have sex, maybe, he’s not sure right now. His mind went somewhere else and now he’s ruined the mood, but at least Cas is giving him a way out. He finally breaks away, not bothering to zip up his Levi’s or try to put his shirt back on as he picks up the phone, dialing the number and only waiting for one ring before it’s answered.  
  


“Hey, Benny, its Dean, just callin’ to say we got here, safe and sound, and seeing how the girls are.”  
  


“ _Hey, brother, glad to hear it. The girls are doin’ great, workin’ on their katas and havin’ a mock-battle outside right now._ ” He probably held the phone out so Dean could hear, since he hears the sound of their work-out and the sound of heavy scabbard on scabbard. All Beasts or Humans who were trained for battles, or own their own schools, have their swords tied to the scabbard, making it impossible to die by a sword unless it’s serious enough for the Grandmaster to allow for the sword to come undone. Cas has told them all the story of Iozen’s son, a Human raised by Beasts, who, believing himself to be a Beast, become arrogant about his father’s power and ability, as well as confused about his own nature. That had allowed the Darkness to rise and consume him when his father lost to Kumotetsu, and as a result, he’d not only used a blade to try to kill Kumotetsu, but another Human raised by Beasts. His power apparently manifested in a dangerous way, enough to even throw tremors into the Beast World. But after being saved by Kumotetsu’s God-form and the other Human, Iozen’s son had worked to understand himself and who he really was, finally taking over his father’s school. He was a Beast, he said, even if he appeared to be a Human, and without any information from where he’d been left, and no desire to find the person who abandoned him so long ago, he’d simply taken to heart that he was born a Human, raised a Beast, and had to accept that didn’t make him less a Beast.  
  


“I’m glad to hear they’re at least keeping up with their training,” Dean says when the sounds disappear, “I wanted to make sure everything was fine there.”  
  


“ _Everything is great here. Why? What’s goin’ on there?_ ”

 

Dean lets out a sigh, remembering that Benny has known him since boot camp and been his best friend since they were assigned to the same ship after A-School, so he knows Dean really well. Better than anyone, even Dad or Sam, so of course he picked up on Dean’s worry.  
  


“I’m just a bit worried, man. Missouri Mosley works here, and Sam works with that Tweed guy.”  
  


A low whistle, Dean also adding in, “Oh, and Kate and Dad are probably gonna be here.”

 

“ _Bad luck there, brother. Do you want us to drive over there? Ain’t too far away._ ”  
  


“I’m not subjecting Emma to my Dad, Benny, and honestly, I’d rather she stay and do katas.”  
  


“ _You’re considering a Vegas wedding already? Just warn us so we can meet ya there – I say we get rooms in Mandalay Bay, the Luxor is nice but not that great._ ”  
  


Dean chuckles, feeling himself relax a bit more as he ends with, “I was calling to make sure you were ok, not get ideas for where to go on the strip, man.”  
  


“ _I know, but you should at least know your options. And it ain’t that bad, is it?_ ”

+

 

“I’M AN UNCLE AND MY BRO DIDN’T TELL---OUCH, DAMMIT HANNAH, I’M TRYING TO FIND OUT—OUCH, STOP IT, OUCH, HANNAH, STOP…OUCH!”

+

 

“I mean, it might be.”  
  


“ _It ain’t. You’ve been through worse, like some rich people--_ ”  
  


“And my dad, his new wife, and my brother.”  
  


“ _…it still can’t be that bad._ ”

+

 

“Look, this is—what…wait…what? The Human has a daughter too? WHA—“ Missouri frowns as she hears a sudden, heavy hit and then, from the same area, Hannah’s calm voice.

 

“Thank you…and if you pick up again when he calls, I’m going to hurt you, Hester. Bye.”

+

 

“Yeah, well, I’m going to go and rest up before the big event. Give the girls hugs for us, we’ll call you if anything comes up.”  
  


“ _Rest up, brother. We’ll talk later, then_.”

 

Dean gives him a simple goodbye before slowly standing up, moving back over towards the bedroom. Letting out a long sigh, he glances down at his still-unbuttoned jeans and chuckles. “Hey Cas, you—“ He stops when he walks in, seeing Castiel lying on the bed, naked and smiling over at Dean, his cock half-hard and already starting to leak pre-cum.  
  


“Yes?”

 

Dean smiles, removing his shirt and walking in before kissing his love deeply. “I’m so glad I met you.”  
  


Castiel chuckles as he pulls Dean back in for a kiss, his hand moving down and pushing away his opened jeans before hooking the waistband of his underwear and starting to pull it down. Dean moves to help as Castiel says, “I’m just as glad that we can have some time alone.”  
  


Dean smiles as he gets fully naked, the two rolling around a bit in the huge bed, Dean ending up on the bottom as Castiel nuzzles and kisses along his neck and cheek. Dean feels himself relax under the comfortable weight as he shifts, their two erections rubbing against each other as Castiel lets out a pleasurable growl near Dean’s ear. Dean smiles when he shifts to look up at him, seeing Castiel’s lust-filled eyes and intent. “We got a few hours, don’t we? And I really like it when we do that. So…”  
  


Castiel’s smile is wicked as he leans down to kiss Dean, muttering when they part for air, “I love you.”

+

 

Gabriel mutters darkly about Hannah’s handling of things, even hours after she’d abruptly ended his call to find out everything from Hester. Hester lives near Castiel, and so she should have known everything, but with what he’s heard, now he’s not sure how much he wants to do. At some point, Mom would find out about the fact that there is an heir to the family line. She’ll also learn that said heir is growing up with a Human and also that it means the main seat for the family would be moving to where Castiel lives, not staying in Yang-na.  
  


Gabriel is…fine…with that. He’s pretty sure that his being fine with that, and not asking questions about the unknown niece is completely due to the fact that Hannah can hit really hard when she wants him to stop things. He should be asking questions of Cas, like _HOW_ and _WHEN_ and _SERIOUSLY WHAT THE HELL??!?_ At the same time, he wonders about everything that Hester had told him about Winchester.  
  


“ _I don’t like him at all, he’s far too Human and all he seems to do is cause Castiel to forget who he is. He’s horrible for him, and if you can get them to break up, you should. The moment those two met, Castiel was in trouble,_ ” Hester had said in the phone call before Hannah interrupted him, and he has to agree with Hester on that. Castiel isn’t acting like the brother Gabriel had grown up with, and certainly not like the one who would take over the clan when Mother finally handed it over, died, or ascended to Grandmaster or even Godhood.   
  


But Gabriel has to agree with Hannah too: Castiel has never seemed happier, and he’d never come back home for any sort of friendly get-together if he didn’t have to. Instead, now he’s not only back, but he also wants to show off his lover – his mate. Even when he brought Balthazar here, that was with obvious reluctance to be near his family or deal with their drama. And yet he’s here, willing to put up with them, and even more willing to start a fight with them when they expressed their dislike of the one he viewed as his mate.  
  


Of course, that only makes Gabriel think one horrible, bad, disgusting thought, and he’s seriously blaming Hannah and head trauma for it.  
  


_He’s knotting that Human right…wait, can you knot a…no…yes? Wait. No. STOP, NO, PLEASE, NO THOUGHTS NO THOUGHTS, BAD BRAIN!_  
  


“I need a drink.”  
  


“It’s your own fault for what you did,” Hannah says, putting a bottle of cold water in front of him and glaring at him when he only uses it to put on his pounding head. “When is your mother and everyone coming over?”  
  


“In--” He starts, right before they hear the front door open, hearing Missouri’s greeting as Gabriel groans. “Never mind, apparently it’s now.”  
  


“Oh, Gabriel,” Naomi Todde’s voice makes Gabriel turn, her hands going up to his head and frowning before she says, “What happened here?”

 

“Castiel brought his boyfriend, so like any good big—OUCH!” The pull on his ear causes Gabriel to put his ears down, his tail curling around himself as he gets ready to whine. “What was that for?”  
  


“Allow your brother some privacy, Gabriel! I knew he was bringing someone important with him, and I don’t need you messing this up for him.”  
  


Gabriel pouts until Naomi rubs his ear, finally saying, “I understand your worry, Gabriel, but I don’t see a reason for this. You didn’t do it with Balthazar.”  
  


“Balthazar was a Beast, this one is a Human,” Gabriel mutters. Hannah glares at him as Missouri freezes, looking over at him as Naomi’s grooming…doesn’t stop. She’s obviously isn’t surprised by this, and Gabriel shifts in his seat to look up to her, blinking in surprise.

 

“I know my children, Gabriel, and I’m more amazed it took so long for Castiel to find a worthy Human.” She shrugs as she goes back to grooming him. “I want to see who this Human is, though. I can’t simply say that Castiel is worthy of any Human.”  
  


Hannah looks upset by Naomi’s words, and Gabriel can guess at her reason why. She sounds like she’d just tell Castiel ‘no’ and that would be the end of it. He’s about to tell her that it won’t be anywhere near that easy when Castiel and Dean appear outside, heading towards the main room. The group can see them through the windows, and though Gabriel doesn’t want to think it, he also sees the contented glow that both of them have about them. All Gabriel can think is that he was right, and his brain is going to be giving him those brain-bleaching images of his brother _knotting a human,_ _oh what the hell, brain? Stop it!_  
  


“He’s dating…” Missouri starts, sounding upset as the two stop, Dean moving to be a bit closer to Castiel as they catch a glimpse of the group watching them, his obvious self-consciousness at being seen with them over—  
  


“Wait, you know him?” Gabriel’s mind is too busy giving him brain-bleach images to have caught it before. Hannah gives Missouri the stink-eye at the Human’s tone while they wait for Castiel and Dean to enter, Gabriel finally catching up with everything that was going on.

 

The two entering prevents Missouri from fully explaining everything. Castiel introduces Dean to his mother, then starts to do the same with Missouri before Dean says, hand still around Castiel’s waist, “We’ve met. Hey Missouri, how’s everyone back home?”

 

Missouri is silent, glaring, before she answers curtly, “They’re fine. You see Sam here?”  
  


Dean nods, looking like he’s a bit upset with whatever Human thing they’re doing, but Naomi at least jumps in to talk to Dean and Castiel, allowing them all to heave a huge sigh of relief. As Missouri leaves to continue preparing  for the big party tonight, Gabriel realizes that his eagerness to speak to Hester earlier caused him miss the big reveal that Missouri and Dean are acquainted. He wants to find out what the hell is going on but at this point, all he can think about is the fact that _Missouri knows Dean_.

 

_Perfect._


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naomi has thoughts on things, and more on the dinner that will lead to a lunch.

Dean Winchester is a _nice person_ , a feat for a Human, at least as far as Naomi knows from the few that Raphael has brought to their parties when he believes they have some control over their Darkness. Still, for such an uninteresting and uninspiring Human, he seems to have caught Castiel’s attention, enough that they remain near each other and speak with everyone together. Naomi sees Missouri watching him like a hawk as he goes around with Castiel, stopping to speak to Raphael. Her friend seems to take their closeness as a curiosity until Dean says, “I wanted to thank you for accepting my brother into your firm, sir. I saw him earlier and he seemed very happy.”  
  


Naomi frowns, recalling that Raphael had picked Sam and Brady because Nick’s firm had been trying to recruit those who were able to use the powers of Darkness, wishing to show their strength over the dangers. Raphael had taken on two in danger of being overtaken by their own Darkness. From what Naomi remembers, the new students were both the best at keeping control of their Darkness and its powers, but the worst at resisting the temptation to use that power. Hearing that Dean is the brother of one of Raphael’s students only seems to cement the idea that something is wrong with the Human Castiel has chosen…but at the same time, Naomi has to watch to see Raphael’s reaction.  
  


“I didn’t realize you were related to one of my interns,” Raphael says, sipping on his water. “I think I would have heard about a brother dating a Beast.”  
  


Dean seems unfazed by this, but Castiel is…bristling, ready for a fight. Naomi wants to make a mental note to chastise him for such an action, but she supposes that it’s because he wants to protect his Human at all costs. Dean either doesn’t notice the implied insult or doesn’t care, replying too low for   Naomi to  hear as she chats with another of the early arrivals at the party.  
  


“I see,” Raphael says when she listens again, apparently accepting whatever Dean had said. “You do know that they are coming, don’t you?”  
  


“Yep,” Dean says casually, but tension is in his voice, “but at least with this I can relax.”  
  


“I’d hardly call it ‘relaxing’.”  
  


“I know my dad, sir. This _is_ relaxing,” Dean tells him, apparently attempting a joke, but it falls flat on both Castiel and Raphael. Naomi takes the time when Castiel and Dean have gone to speak to some of Castiel’s old friends – who are also giving Castiel odd looks as he approaches with Dean – to go over to Raphael and see what he has to say.  
  


He smiles when she approaches, chuckling as one of her tails goes around his waist in greeting. “You have become far more patient than you used to be. Thank you for offering your home for this, Naomi.”  
  


“It’s the least I can do for you and your success, Raphael,” she tells him fondly, looking back to where Castiel is still speaking to his old friends, Dean simply standing and listening with obvious attentiveness. “What do you think of him?”  
  


“He’s a normal Human, which I suppose for you is someone rather dull,” Raphael says before taking a sip of his water. “But he’s obviously able to hold his own. Castiel dislikes his family, or at least the idea of his family.”  
  


“He mentioned relaxing…?”

 

Raphael taps a finger on his glass, looking over at Missouri before glancing back at Dean. “His family and friends disliked his earlier decisions, and that has colored his interactions with them. Now, he is not only in a place that his brother believes only he should be, by right of his schooling, but also here with your son…a Beast. You would have to ask Missouri for more information – much of that I had to gather by reading between the lines.”  
  


Naomi dislikes that idea, that her son would have to be so attentive for a Human at each turn. Raphael adds, “He’s far more open with Castiel around him than, I think, he would be if we separated them. And for all that you might be plotting to learn why Castiel loves that Human, please also recall that he is ready, at any moment, to cut off all ties with Yang-na and live in the small town he’s in, and is at peace with.”

 

Naomi watches as Castiel and Dean move to another group, Castiel’s tail tight around Dean’s leg and Dean chuckling at it, whispering something that makes Castiel blush and shift closer to him. “They love each other, and are good for one another. I don’t see a reason to break that because of prejudices, Naomi.”  
  


She sighs. “Yes, well, I dislike that he’s so dull and uninteresting. I’d think my son would at least pick someone more…more…”

 

“More like the ones I deal with – arrogant and believing themselves invincible and in control of the Darkness inside them? Or someone like Hannah, or another fox that you feel is perfect for him, such as Balthazar?” Naomi cringes – that attempt at matchmaking had gone nowhere, and instead of a happy couple, she’d finally seen that they were friends, not lovers. The breakup shortly after the visit only confirmed that.  
  


“I suppose if he followed my every order, things would be different, and so would he,” Naomi said with a sad sigh. “But he’s happy – he wears the clan colors and symbol, he cares for his love, and he ensures that he knows he’s loved.” Even though she knows they’re only dating, and so anything can happen, Naomi has only ever seen that behavior before in mated pairs.  
  


_That’s silly, though. Castiel would never mate a Human, not really. He’s simply found that he likes Humans, and is testing this one out, to see what desirable traits he has. When this ends, he’ll find a better one, more worthy of his time, his ring, and his mark._  
  


Cas and Dean continue to walk around and chat with the few who will speak to them, many instead seeming content with watching them curiously, as if they are a sideshow Naomi brought in. She doesn’t see them break apart for Dean to get Castiel a drink, as she is in another part of the house,  but overhears the conversation that apparently, Missouri has been itching to have with Dean since she’s seen him.  
  


“What are you doin’ here, Dean?” Naomi pauses, her ears twitching at the accusatory tone that her housekeeper never seemed to use on anyone else but those she knows.

 

“I’m here with my boyfriend,” Dean’s voice sounds almost tired, but not from the answer, as far as she can tell, “meeting his family.”

 

“You know what I mean,” Missouri demands, “Why are you callin’ him your boyfriend? You only ever dated girls.”

 

Naomi frowns at the information as Dean says, “There’s this thing in that whole alphabet soup for Pride, symbolized by the ‘b’, it’s called ‘bisexuality’, I told you about it bef--”

 

“Don’t you give me no sass, boy,” Missouri says, sounding angry. “You only ever dated women and that panic you had in high school was just some rebellious streak you don’t seem to have gotten over.” Naomi sees Missouri huff and shift from where she was, but doesn’t see Dean’s reaction. “You’re little stint in the Navy didn’t teach you no respect for your elders either.”

 

“I learned plenty about respect, but I also learned you gotta _earn_ it, not just give out bad advice ‘cause someone ‘wants to hear it’.” Naomi almost chuckles at that, recalling that Missouri was a mild psychic who had a side-business – one that often got closed after complaints and threats of legal action when she gave out the wrong information because people ‘wanted to hear it’.

 

“Boy--”

 

“Ain’t a boy, and I don’t need to listen to this,” Dean tells her, sounding angry for the first time since Naomi had met him. “I’m here with Cas because I _want_ to be here, and, just as important, _he wants me here_. It’s called being partners and agreeing on things.”

 

Naomi manages to hide as he walks by, seeing him pause only briefly before going straight back to Castiel. Naomi comes out to watch the two talking, Castiel seeming to check on Dean, knowing he’d been upset by something, before pulling him close. His tail wraps around Dean’s leg again as they speak to some of Castiel’s friends who remained after the first introduction, both having animated conversations about various things.

 

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I gotta say something,” Naomi turns at Missouri’s voice, looking at the housekeeper curiously. “That boy ain’t being honest with your son.”

 

“I thought,” Naomi said with a long pause, leading Missouri to think she’d convinced Naomi with just that one sentence and nothing more, “that he told you he wasn’t a boy.”

 

“Ma’am, he --”

 

“I know my son, and I know he is careful,” Naomi said, “and you haven’t seen Mr. Winchester in many years, I would think. So I will have to take what I see at this party, and not simply judge him from your memories.” Missouri is quiet at that, obviously upset by the dismissal, but Naomi doesn’t bother to care about it, instead watching her son and the young man he brought. That trouble would follow him like this is simply something that happens with many of the Humans that Naomi’s clan chooses to follow around or befriend. Raphael was notorious for bringing up issues of race and discrimination until people started tip-toeing around him, and Uriel was honestly a hot-head – but the two were overall good men.

 

Even if Uriel is currently sizing up Dean for an obvious fight later on in the evening, if he can goad him into  it.

 

The arrival of Raphael’s own guests and _their_ guests causes the party to stall, Naomi going up to greet them and see what she can find out before they spot or go to speak to the rest. They’re all  gracious for her use of the home and appear to find the whole thing pleasing, one Human – a man with dark hair and a handsome face – asking about why they had to get hotels rather than stay in the area.

 

It was a question that many Humans would ask, she reminded herself, but he said it in a way that made her almost bristle in anger. She pushes that aside and smiles as Sam Winchester answers for her, apparently not realizing the faux pas in social etiquette he was committing.

 

“The area isn’t always safe, and with it being so close to a way into the Beast World, it’s better to have us all at hotels. Even the Beasts have to go back to their world and stay at a hotel or resort.”

 

“Mr. Winchester is right about that,” she tells the other Human, seeing Raphael send Sam a look that says he needed to speak with him about his manners. “The nature of the world near an opening means that sometimes, a Human or Beast might accidentally wander somewhere they shouldn’t. Or a Human’s proximity while feeling stressed in some way could result in negative reactions for other reasons, and this could carry over no matter how far away you get. It’s simply safer to be somewhere that is far away, than to remain here and potentially be hurt.”

 

“And the guest homes?” the man asks. “Those for show?”

 

“Those are far enough away, and each rotate for the visiting families of those who own the property – myself and a few others. Had I known you needed accommodations, I would have put one aside.” She sees the man bristle at the accusation before adding in, “We’ve not been properly introduced. I’m Naomi Todde, the owner of this home and the one hosting the party.”

 

The older man still bristles but nods, holding out his hand for her to shake. “John Winchester. This is my wife, Kate, and our other son, Adam.” Naomi smiles at them, noting that they appear more comfortable than John does in their dress and suit, and after motioning them to more of the food trays and saying she’ll speak to them later, she turns to see how Uriel is doing. It is only then that she sees Dean and Castiel have gone outside. Castiel is speaking to Uriel about something, standing between him and Dean and looking rather annoyed. Hannah is out with them, and looks almost like she is watching simply to confirm…something.

 

_She’s finally gotten over her crush on him…that means…_

 

Hannah would only give up if there was no chance those two will leave one another. That she is outside, obviously on their side, and having given up on her attempt to win Castiel? That means…that…

 

Naomi stalks over to where Gabriel is attempting (and succeeding) to convince the Slade’s of his powers when she drags him away to one side, apologizing to the group and glaring at her eldest son.

 

“What was that for?”

 

“How serious has Castiel said he and that Human are?”

 

“What?” Gabriel glances around and shifts. “Come on, like Cassie is really serious about that. He didn’t--.”

 

“ _Gabriel…_ ”

 

“—say he was gonna marry him…just…heavily hinted?”

 

_Marriage. Mating. My son brought his_ mate _to this dinner._

 

Naomi’s eyes zeroed in on the back of Dean Winchester’s skull, her new mission now one of absolute seriousness. No more following and watching from a distance, now was--

 

“Also Hester said Cassie and Dean have kids.”

+

 

Dean feels the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He rubs it as he looks through the windows and does his best to tune out Castiel’s argument with his old friend. Apparently Uriel isn’t about to trust that Dean and Cas are basically mates, or at least getting to the point that they’ll be married.  Uriel had somewhat railed against it but seems to be coming around, even if he thinks Castiel is making a complete mistake taking Dean as a mate over someone else.

 

Dean frowns as he sees Naomi looking at him, her fur ruffled, and Gabriel smirking like the fox who got the whole hen house. Dean glances over at Cas, who is currently in a pretty big verbal argument with Uriel, before he lets out a sigh. Probably better if he goes and mingles, lets Cas deal with this. Cas knows Uriel, and as much as Dean would like to defend himself, he can’t really think of much to say against Uriel’s dismissive and condescending attitude. Still, he also seems open to the idea of it, the same way Balthazar had been open to it but just upset with who Cas chose.

 

So Dean reaches over and touches Cas’ shoulder, motioning inside and saying, “I’m gonna go in for a drink. Want anything?”

 

“No. I will be in shortly, after we finish speaking.” He glances at Uriel, who seems barely moved by the fact that Dean is offering up a drink to Castiel, or that Dean is being so quiet about the whole thing. Cas’ glance turns to a full-on stare as Dean sighs. Great, he’s been found out. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing I can’t handle, Cas, I promise,” Dean tells him, noticing  Uriel looks ready to start something. The other Human appears upset at Dean’s silence, but just as upset that Dean is ‘keeping secrets’. Dean really isn’t – last he checked, Gabe still had that shit-eating grin on his face and Naomi was still looking at Dean like she was ready to call down the lightning on his ass. It isn’t anything new to Dean – his reputation in Lawrence had gone down the drain before he was even out of high school, and after what happened with Lydia, he’s amazed no one’s heard of it back home yet – but it’s nice to know that Cas is willing to stop an argument with a friend who needs convincing in order to make sure that Dean _is_ fine.

 

Dean offers up another smile and finally leans in to kiss Cas, knowing this will only make the people watching retch or upset, but why should Dean care? He’s sure at one point, he’ll go inside and have to deal with Sam and his family, but right now, he figures he’ll take on Cas’ mom first.

 

He’s about to approach her when he’s stopped by the guy from before, the one who’d been with Sam, who says, “Hey, you didn’t say that the Cas you were with here was Castiel Todde.”

 

“Didn’t get a chance to,” Dean points out, glancing around and briefly spotting Dad and Kate mingling with others, but apparently too busy to speak to Missouri or anyone else about his presence here. Lucky him.

 

“I’m surprised,” Brady said, sipping on his water. “I mean, I’d heard that Castiel was the eccentric of the family, but I didn’t think he was that eccentric.”

 

Dean shrugs, not really getting what Brady is going for. “He’s not that eccentric, he just lives away from the family and doesn’t always like the same things they do. Not quite what that means, you know.” He glances over and picks up a small glass of what he guesses is champagne, taking a sip as Brady nods, as if Dean had kept talking.

 

“How’d you two meet? I mean, last I heard from Sam, you weren’t really doing a lot of stuff.”

 

Dean shrugs again, taking another sip of champagne and saying, “Sam and I don’t really talk about stuff. I was as surprised when I heard he was here, as he was.”

 

Brady nods again, and Dean waits before he says, “So, are you just a friend of Castiel or are you--”

 

“We’re pretty much living together,” Dean says, watching Brady stop in his tracks, as if the whole thing hadn’t quite sunk in yet. Dean adds, “Joint bank accounts and all. Well, just some legal paperwork, then it’s more--”

 

“Winchester,” Dean stops at Uriel’s upset tone, and he turns to look at the other man, who offers a smile that seems more predatory then happy. “You shouldn’t hog the guests. Slade, you wanted to speak to my father about something earlier, didn’t you?”

 

“I was--”

 

“He’s got a point,” Dean will take any out he has, and this is the best one, as far as he can tell. “I’d better go mingle a bit more.”

 

What he wants is another drink, but the expensive champagne and anything else is going to get to him soon, so he’s a bit surprised when Naomi comes and directs him outside, to where Castiel is standing, looking confused.

 

“Mother?”

 

“There will be a lunch tomorrow, and now is not the time for me to meet a mate of my son,” she says. Dean blinks at her, trying to figure out if he’d said anything or if it was just that obvious. Castiel blinks and blushes, Dean guessing it’s a bit of both, before Naomi offers him a smile. “I would like to know you better, if you are to be part of this clan, Dean Winchester, but I’d be a horrible host if that was all I did.”

 

Dean smiles at that, nodding. “Sure. Ok...tomorrow for lunch then?”

 

She nods, waving him to Cas before heading back inside, Dean and Cas frowning at that as Dean turns to go back to the guest house. “That’s weird.”

 

“My mother is not stupid,” Castiel tells him, “though I think this is part of Gabriel trying to create drama.”

 

“I saw that shit-eating grin on him, it’s totally Gabriel’s fault.” Dean glances over at him, smirking mischievously. “Want me to prank him?”

 

“No. The fact that I’m going to take you, tonight and possibly before we meet up with them tomorrow morning, will be enough punishment.”

 

Dean snickers and scratches behind Cas’ ear as they head into the darkness and towards the bungalow. “You’re evil, man. I love it.”

+

 

Sam frowns as he looks around the area, spotting Dean leaving with what looks like a fox or some sort of Beast, causing him to blink in surprise before he lets out a sigh of annoyance. Of course Dean is gonna go off and try to fuck something exotic, no matter where that ‘Cas’ person is. Sam’s more surprised that he’d be so bold to even take one towards the guest houses that are technically out of bounds for everyone, if what Naomi said is right. Sam’s more annoyed that Dean would walk off with some vixen and leave his supposed ‘serious friend’ alone.

A stray thought goes through Sam’s mind from before, that Dean had said Cas was a ‘he’, but Sam shakes it away as he sees Brady speaking with Ms. Copper - the hound Beast and friend of the Todde family - and Uriel Tweed, Raphael’s adopted son. Both seem to be directing Brady out somewhere, or something was going on, but Sam has a bad feeling about it. He nods and smiles to Dad and Kate before shifting to make his way through the crowd, only to be stopped when he sees Missouri, free for the moment, wave at him. He glances between the two, seeing that Uriel and Copper have only directed Brady over to Raphael Tweed. Sam frowns again before going to see what Missouri wants. Mr. Tweed had already chewed him out for answering before Naomi Todde had gotten the chance, but Sam had managed to point out that it wasn’t really a social mess-up if he’d allowed her to clarify and answer and had not given misinformation. Tweed had let it slide this one time, but right now, Sam didn’t want to get on his bad side. He’d fired interns and others for less, and Sam had gotten lucky that his quick-thinking had gotten him out of that mess.

He moves to see what Missouri has to say, noticing that Dad and Mom haven’t seen Dean. He lets out an annoyed huff as he gets to the side area near the kitchen, wondering what he has to say to his brother to get him to have even a small bit of common decency. Dad and Mom hadn’t seen Dean in a few years, since he ran off after returning from the Navy, and Sam had looked forward to finally having them talk to Dean. That he went from protesting about his dating habits in high school to now wandering off and leaving Cas alone somewhere has Sam a bit miffed by the time he reaches  Missouri. The older woman is standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at where Sam had last seen Dean walking out, and Sam briefly hears a few of the Beasts whispering about that ‘Human’ that Castiel Todde brought with him, the one that seems to be his ‘mate’. Sam pauses and looks at the grouping of Beasts, listening as one says, “I’m surprised he would do such a thing, and with such a Human!”

 

“He is… handsome, by their standards, and he was well-trained,” another mutters, sounding a bit upset.

 

“As if having a pet name for a Beast is ‘well-trained’, calling him ‘Cas’! The nerve of it!”

 

All the pieces suddenly, unexpectedly, and very swiftly fall into place as Sam looks between them and the angry Missouri, who is motioning to him in a way that says she’s upset with his pausing. Sam blinks and proceeds, finally hissing quietly at her, “Dean’s dating _Castiel Todde?_ Naomi’s son?”

 

“That boy believes himself to be some sort of whore,” Missouri mutters, taking Sam into the pantry and starting to collect more food. “Parading around with that Beast like he’s some good find. Mark my words, whatever your brother is trying to pull, he’s going to get burned good for his poor manners when Todde and her family finally deal with him tomorrow.”

 

_Tomorrow_.

 

“What’s going on tomorrow?”

 

Missouri looks over at him before saying, “There’s a family lunch and they’re gonna talk about the future of the clan. Because that brother of yours is trying to get a cushy life, he’s gone and convinced Castiel that they love each other! Can you believe that?”

 

He can’t, and as much as he wants to start making judgments, he’s confused mostly by what Missouri is saying. Dean isn’t gay! Since when did Dean decide he liked guys after a lifetime of screwing any willing woman in his vicinity? More importantly, if Dean does something this stupid, whatever his reasons, and ends up leaving Castiel Todde alone and heartbroken, that could easily ruin Sam’s career and chance in Tweed’s law firm! Didn’t Dean think about what his actions would do for their family?

 

“Thanks,” he finally says, stalking out to see if he can find Dad and Mom, and hoping that he can find Mr. Tweed to explain his worry to him. He doubts that the kitsune Naomi Todde will listen to him, but she will listen to her best friend and the one Human lawyer that she trusts.

 

“Ah, Sam,” Mr. Tweed appears as Sam looks around, surprised at how quickly he appeared near him. It nearly makes Sam’s powers crack the glass, but Sam has more control over them than that, and instead the glass simply shakes a bit. “Sorry, I forgot you can get jumpy.”

 

“A lot of things have come up, sir,” Sam says, offering up a small smile to try to cover his mistake. “And I guess being this close to the entrance to Yang-na will do that to me. I should be more careful.”

 

Raphael nods, obviously accepting Sam’s consideration, before saying, “I was going to say, I heard that your brother was here earlier with Naomi’s son, Castiel.” Sam clamps down on his power at the reminder, before he nods, indicating he knows about that. “Naomi wants to invite us and your parents to a luncheon tomorrow, as a sort of welcome.”

 

Sam blinks in surprise again, not sure if he can believe his luck. He might be able to talk some sense into Dean, figure out what his angle is and why he’s taking this horrible risk. More importantly, Dad would be there to back him up, and Mom too. Even if Dean never calls her Mom, she still holds some ability to get him to listen. He can only hope that this will be enough to maybe talk Naomi out of believing whatever Dean sweet-talked her and her son into, and to get him to stop being such an ass to his family. Since he was eighteen and talked to that recruiter, Dean had just thrown everyone away and seemed to think the worst of them, but now? Now, he’ll have to listen.

 

“I’ll talk to my parents, sir, but I’m sure they’ll be happy to come.”


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast is already awkward, but lunch promises to be worse. Luckily, Dean and Cas are ready to simply leave, and perfectly fine with doing so.

Dean is the first one to wake up, shifting a bit and smirking a little at the muttering as Cas shifts to move around him, arm wrapping around his waist, and at the feeling of fullness. Dean blushes a bit as he remembers that Cas tends to be up until his knot goes down, so he can put in a butt-plug and keep most of the semen in.

 

Given the fact that it is either that or wake up in a fairly large puddle of cum, Dean is fine with the feeling, the loving hold that Cas has around him. He enjoys the reminder of the odd but almost comforting sensation as Cas’ knot inflates outside or inside of him, keeping them together after and sometimes causing Dean to experience another orgasm before it deflates. It’s something they had a VERY long talk about before any sex started, and something Dean enjoys about being with Cas. They can’t always do it like this, but the option is nice to have.

 

Dean manages to shift a bit out of Castiel’s hold, the fox letting out a few mumbled annoyances before turning over to fall back to sleep, tail curling around him. It makes Dean chuckle, seeing how like his wild counterpart Cas is, before he moves to get ready for the day.

 

Cas is up by the time Dean is starting to get dressed, stepping out to see what he could make for breakfast. He’s a bit surprised by the bag of food that hadn’t been there yesterday, and frowns even more when he sees the short note from Missouri.

 

_For Castiel. His family would like to speak to him_ alone _after breakfast._

 

Dean frowns at that as he hears Castiel come up, muttering as Dean turns and smiles a bit as he looks over at him. “Hey, coffee will be done soon.”

 

Castiel frowns at him, still half-asleep, before he spots the note and glances at it before saying, “You can come with me. You are family, Dean, no matter what they think, and you should be treated as such.”

 

Castiel offers him a smile before adding, “Besides, I doubt my mother would approve of Missouri simply leaving such a note.”

 

“Don’t start trouble,” Dean mutters as he moves to start making something with what they have. The contents are mostly meats and the like, but there was enough to make some eggs, sausage, and maybe hashbrowns for Dean. “I know you don’t like it that they’re acting like this, but honestly, I’d rather not get angry calls for weeks because I’m the reason for her getting fired.”

 

Cas gives him a look that Dean recognizes from whenever Dean lets something, especially something that Cas views as important or vital, drop in favor of the path of least resistance. Dean has gotten better about not being a doormat, especially after his time in the Navy. That doesn’t stop him from wanting to prevent conflict, or to avoid it when he can. In this case, he’s glad that Cas is in his corner for this, and that most likely Hannah and Uriel are also there, even if Uriel doesn’t really like him.

 

Dean starts up their breakfast, finally saying, “If she’s rude or upsetting, I’m sure your mom can have her fired for that, but right now, I don’t need her going around saying that I’m making her lose her job because I’m playing you or something. She doesn’t exactly believe in people being bi, and I’m so very obviously not gay because of all the girls I fucked.” The egg cracks with only a bit more force than necessary, but it doesn’t splash on him and the center is still nice and round as he begins to cook it and the sausage.  He puts it on a plate to work on the hashbrowns for himself before finishing up and putting the two plates down, one in front of Cas and the other beside him, where Dean takes a seat. He sees Cas giving him a worried look as he adds, “We’re both dealing with family here, Cas. I’m sure that yours will give us as much trouble.”

 

“You give Gabriel too much credit,” Cas says dead-panned as they start to eat, Dean chuckling a little as he drinks some of the coffee. “Either way, for him to create so much trouble over our relationship is unusual, though I’m not surprised by it. As I said before, even with all the work between the Humans and Beasts, and especially with the Humans raised by Beasts, there is still that stigma of the two living together, let alone having a relationship together. In some minds, we are to remain within our own species, even for Beasts, and for others, the idea that we would even consider being with something that could have Darkness within them is appalling at best, and scandalous at worst.”

 

“You mentioned that before,” Dean says as he eats his breakfast. “I know it’s something that people have used to do good, why do you always consider it bad?”

 

Castiel is quiet, considering, before he says, “It’s less bad than something that can easily overtake a person entirely. The idea that you are this thing, or that this one feature defines you, or even that an unspoken anger, resentment, or doubt builds up in you, if that feeling turns to something else, it could easily overwhelm a Human and create a dangerous situation for anyone involved. It’s why many look down on any sort of connection to Humans, and why despite the linking of our worlds and the exchange, there is still doubt about people like your brother and his friend. However, the healing of Ichirohiko by Kyuta, as well as the events of Lord Kumotetsu, who became a sword-kami in the Eastern tradition, show that you can have a Human with powers that can still grow to be a healthy person, so long as they have a positive influence. It’s not enough to say a person is loved or able, or to say that the person is one thing when all evidence shows they are not. Or even to wonder where casual hate comes from when you offered such casual hate to another like them. Anyone can become consumed by Darkness, and any small thing might manage to break them out of it.” He’s cuts up his sausage completely, and slowly uses one to pierce the egg yolk and let it run onto the plate. “I don’t believe that Uriel or Raphael will allow Brady to continue the training, if only because he’s too full of self-importance and his own issues. Mother and her clan follow the training that Kumotetsu handed down, and so do I.”

 

“So you follow the idea that anyone can be saved?”

 

Castiel offers him a smile before saying, “We believe anyone can become consumed and saved, but we also acknowledge that it will always depend on the person and who raised them. That the mightiest and most noble of families can create horrors, and the smallest and most inelegant of Humans or Beasts can create the best of any of us. A person’s background influences who they are, but that does not stop them from being able to use the Darkness, or from being able to turn away from it and, instead, do a noble act.”

 

Dean is quiet, eating, before he lets out a sigh. “So…you’re more worried about my family then yours?”

 

Castiel looks over at Dean before saying, “I’m more worried about what our two brothers might do.”

 

Dean considers, recalling them both, before groaning. “We’re screwed.”

+

 

Dean Winchester appearing at their brunch, before the main lunch, is surprising, but Naomi is not that upset over it. If what Gabriel said is true, then Castiel views him as his mate, and to keep them apart will only serve to upset Castiel. Besides that, Dean obviously cares enough for Castiel that he won’t leave him alone to any sort of interrogation.

 

What Naomi is curious about is the grandchild she didn’t know she had, and why Castiel kept that a secret from her. A child of their line will only mean that Castiel’s choice to train and learn their discipline and fighting style will pass on no matter what happens. Gabriel didn’t have the discipline for it, but Castiel did. It is a shame he lives away from Yang-na, though Naomi is fine with moving the school after he succeeds her.

 

Castiel’s tail remains wrapped possessively around Dean’s leg even as they sit, a sure sign that while Dean doesn’t have any visible marks of being mated, but she supposes they won’t have them just yet, the information Gabriel had found out is to be believed. She glances at her other son, seeing him looking at the two before his face suddenly flushes and he looks down and away. Naomi wants to shake her head at him and whatever dirty thoughts he is having. Castiel can do whatever he wants with his mate, and it is not for them to judge him or make assumptions. Plenty of female and male Beasts had begun to mate with Humans, and the results, when done correctly, were never anything too bad, and tended to result in generally well-rounded Beasts or Humans that work best in both worlds. That Dean already works in both and is able to handle himself in both simply means that he was already in a good place before meeting Castiel, and that he will raise Naomi’s grandchild well.

 

She’s a bit more surprised by Missouri Mosley’s attitude when she sees Dean with them, observing the older Human glaring at him often, regardless of whether Dean is looking, and appearing relieved when the doorbell rings and she steps away to answer it. Dean looks upset as Naomi tells him, “I learned from my friend, Mr. Tweed, that your brother is Sam Winchester?”

 

Dean shifts a bit before nodding. “Yeah, I saw him before the big thing last night, and Cas was too busy introducing me around so I didn’t get a chance to talk to him.”

 

Naomi nods, wondering if that was Castiel’s intention, to only have Dean deal with one set of family members instead of both. Considering how coldly he’s being treated by Mosley, it’s not a surprise that her son would do his best to care for and not overwhelm his mate in such a manner. If anything, it only shows that Castiel has chosen well, though recalling the overheard conversation from last night, Naomi’s mind now goes to what Mosley had said. She’d accused Dean of lying about his orientation, and he’d said he was of an orientation that caused a fair share of trouble, in both the Beast and Human world. Would he really stay with Castiel, or would he go off with another Human or Beast? Worse, would he try to have another while mated to Castiel? Such a thing will _not_ aid their family or anyone else if Castiel is too busy worrying about a man who does not remain in the household. She knows that Gabriel has spoken to Hester, another Beast who lives near Castiel, maybe she should as well. Today will only give her a small idea of who this Human is, and while he seemed like a good Human last night, the talk he had with Mosley, not knowing she was there, weighs on her mind a little more than last night, when she saw a Human who was willing to stand by her son, and now wonders if he’ll only do that for the moment.

 

“Dean!” the surprised voice makes them all turn, and Dean looks up, offering a small smile at the woman who appears there. With her is a sullen blond-haired, younger son and a taller, darker-haired father that Naomi vaguely remembers from last night as one of the Humans complaining about not being able to stay in one of the guest houses used only by the owners of the home and their guests. The tallest of these is Sam Winchester, and he looks both annoyed and, also as he appeared last night, trying to prove himself capable of handling his powers and the job with Raphael. Now, he seems to be preparing himself for whatever comes up as Dean says, “Hey Kate.”

 

The woman’s surprise turns to a bit of annoyance as Dean offers a larger smile to the younger man with them, who looks surprised, but in a good way, to see him. Dean moves away from Castiel to pull him into a tight hug, giving a somewhat similar one to Sam before engaging in what looks like a staring contest with the older man Naomi assumes him to be the father of the three younger men. What upsets her is his way of speaking to his mother, though she sees Castiel looking at them all with some worry as Dean and the older man simply nod to each other. Castiel stands, walking over to Dean as he says, “I’m sure Sam talked about it, or didn’t, but...well, this is Cas.”

 

Castiel reaches to put an arm around Dean’s waist, offering them a smile, as the older man simply huffs and looks away, the woman looking almost disappointed in Dean. Both Sam and the younger boy look almost confused, though Sam looks more confused by the confirmation than anything. Which is surprising to Naomi, as she knows that Uriel and the others at the party confirmed their status as...well, as what they are now.

 

“A pleasure,” Castiel says, sounding casual in a way that Naomi knows well, one that says he’s far from happy to speak to them but will be genial for the time being. Gabriel, however, looks almost proud of himself as he watches the drama unfold. She wants to talk to him about it, but reigning in Gabriel’s need for chaos has always been hard, and at least here, it’s a bit more controlled.

 

“Sam mentioned you were here with someone, but…”

 

“You didn’t mention it was...a…” Sam starts as his father glares at Dean before looking away again. Dean shrugs, looking at Cas before saying, “Well, it was your big night last night, Sam, and I was meeting all of Castiel’s friends.” He offers a smile before adding, “I like this better. Just me and the fam to deal with, instead of all your friends and colleagues.”

 

His family glares at him as he and Castiel move back to their own seats, the rest of them moving over as John Winchester holds out Kate Winchester’s seat. Gabriel watches and waits until they are seated and served before saying, “You always call your mother by her first name, Deano?”

 

Sam and Adam look up, as if waiting to see what Dean will say, and he glances at his two brothers, then his mother, before looking at Gabriel. “Kate’s my step-mom.”

 

Gabriel purses his lips, looking back at Sam and Adam then to Dean. “So...what, two half-brothers?”

 

“Adam’s my half-brother,” Dean answers, his family obviously watching him, as if to stop him from saying too much. “Sam and I have the same mom. You always open up with personal questions?”

 

Gabriel waves it off, and Naomi makes a mental note to talk to him about it later. “We’re all family here, or we’re gonna be, if that rumor I heard is right.”

 

Sam and John seem to be giving him more attention than anyone else, Kate glancing at Dean before adding in, “Though I did raise him, Dean never saw me as part of the family. He’s always been very specific on who he considers under that title, and I’ve never known him to extend it outside of his father or brother.”

 

Naomi frowns at that as Gabriel looks over at her, obviously curious, while Dean stares at Kate and the others, silent and not actually defending himself. Castiel shifts a bit, glancing at his family as Kate continues, “Dean is good enough when he thinks you have something for him, but he’s only ever acted rashly when not given what he wants.”

 

“I assume you’re speaking about the fact that Dean decided to join the military over staying with his father to run the auto shop? Or to go and work with a family friend at another auto shop?” Castiel asks. Dean glances at him, as if wanting him to stop, but Castiel simply offers Kate a sweet smile, as if daring her to say something. “I’m sure he could have gone to college instead like his brothers?”

 

Adam makes a poorly muffled sound like a scoff, as if he was trying to be quiet, but Naomi’s ears perk as she looks over at them, seeing a look of upset on Sam who glares at them, like bringing it up was a mistake. “Your other sons seem quite capable - Raphael normally does not take on Stanford lawyers. I believe he sees them as simply too...arrogant...to properly control the powers. Which, to be fair, is quite a danger if you are not mentally ready for it.”

 

Dean’s family seems a bit worried, Sam looking more upset as one of the glasses shakes a bit. Dean says, “I was talking to Cas about that...you hear a lot, going between worlds, and Cas mentioned that his family takes on Iozen’s teachings as well as Kumotetsu’s.” He smiles as Sam frowns at him, as if surprised.

 

“How did you remember those names?”

 

“I mentioned them a few times, and we’ve yet to meet any of the disciples or sons for Dean to give them nicknames,” Castiel replies Dean looks a bit sheepish as he shrugs, smiling at Castiel as her son continues, “Still, Mother has a point, though according to Uriel, you argued so often that Raphael felt that if one was ready to argue so adamantly, one should also be able to understand simple terms and use them well.”

 

The backhanded insult obviously registers, though Gabriel’s equally unquiet guffaw, similar to Adam’s, does not work to defuse the tension as Dean lets out a sigh and glances over at Castiel again. Naomi’s son does not bother to make any motion of his own backing down when his mate is being so poorly treated by his family. She’s not sure why Dean isn’t defending himself against his family, and it makes Naomi wonder what type of a parent he’s going to be to Castiel’s child if he’s so willing to allow someone to badmouth him in such a way in front of his future family. Even if Castiel is the one defending him, he should be able to speak up for himself. At the same time, Naomi wonders if he’s really that upset. With only a minor provocation, Sam’s Darkness powers appeared, yet none of that has appeared from Dean.

 

Sam’s glare at Gabriel is far harsher than Naomi would like, and she sees John shift, as if upset as well, before saying, “You have to be persistent if you want to get something in your life. I don’t see the problem with that.”

 

Dean shrugs, glancing around and finally speaking up. “It’s not persistence so much as making sure you’re ready for something. Just demanding something until you get it doesn’t signal persistence, but that you’re used to getting what you want through childish means. Yeah, sometimes it can get you something great, but other times it can appear that you’re just upset because you didn’t get your way.” He shrugs as he eats a bit more, apparently oblivious to John’s glare and Kate’s disapproving look. “I mean, Sam looks like he’s doing good, and I can’t say that he obviously didn’t learn something from working with that team. It might have started bad, but at least it ended well.”

 

If anything, that seems to have Dean’s family more annoyed with him, though he didn’t seem to mind, having said his piece and moved on to eating and drinking. Gabriel raises his eyebrows, obviously looking for something to use to initiate another tense moment. Naomi lets out a sigh, wishing the trickster side of her family hadn’t manifested so much in Gabriel.

 

John apparently decides to give him the opening, as he growled out at Dean, “The hell would you know about kids?”

 

“He’s got a point,” Gabriel says with a knowing smirk, “not like he’s raising his own.”

 

“Exactly,” John muttered, glancing at Dean in annoyance. “You could barely make sure that Sam was taken care of when you were babysitting him, and you weren’t interested in anything Adam did. You can barely keep down a job, and now you’re trying to act like you’ve grown up? You’re just acting out.”

 

“Not to mention the way you’re pretending to…” she stops, looking over at Gabriel, who smirks, then back to Dean. “You believed some girl when she said she--”

 

The sound of a slap on the table is what jolts Kate enough to look back, saying, “Dean, show some--”

 

“Save it,” he tells her, interrupting her tirade. Naomi feels the Darkness rising, not just from Sam but also from Dean, though his feels far more justified and almost...as if it was calming him despite his obvious outrage. “I don’t need to sit here and get picked on by some guy who thinks he’s funny, or by a family who can’t move past the fact that I didn’t want to be a mechanic, a junkyard guy, or your _fucking punching bag_. I’m here with Cas because I asked him to marry me, and _he said yes_ , and if you’re going to give me shit for it, then fine, but kindly remember that you cut me out, not the other way around.”

 

Dean pushes away and walks out of the house, Castiel standing and glaring at the group, his fur growing larger as if preparing to argue. Gabriel gives his brother a look, like he’s surprised by him.

 

“You accepted a ring from someone like that, and you’re angry at _me_?”

 

“I accepted a ring from a man who has obviously had to go through enough hardship without having his family and mine attacking him for simply being himself. So yes, Gabriel, I’m _livid_ at you.” The growl at the end nearly causes Gabriel to shrink in his seat, casting a glance at Naomi, who remains silent as she waits for whatever else Castiel is going to say.

 

“I am renouncing my ownership of the Yang-na dojo,” he tells Naomi. “I will make my own. It’s not going to be connected to yours, if your only purpose is to watch as my _mate_ is torn down.” His glare turns to the Winchesters. “You have no granddaughter. She wants nothing to do with you, and neither does Dean. I expect you to at least respect his wishes in this, but I doubt highly that you will listen to reason.” With that, he turns and walks out as well, not even bothering to slam the door as Naomi blinks, confused by the change of events and what was said. Hannah stands, shaking her head and making to follow them out. Everyone glances around in confusion before Gabriel says, “Oh, like you weren’t any worse than us.”

 

“It’s not my family,” she tells him, “and I didn’t get a chance to make a fool of myself. That opportunity was taken by everyone else here.”

 

“Hannah,” Naomi tries to warn, but the young hound-Beast simply walks out.

 

Silence falls over the table as Naomi lets out a sigh, upset that the attempt to learn more about the family and about Castiel’s Human mate has ended so poorly. She doubts it was her own silence that ended things as badly as they had, no matter what Castiel said. But the fact that he is so willing, in the face of anger, to throw away his birthright, is not something she wants to leave alone.

 

“I’m sorry for that,” Kate says, sounding sincere. “Dean’s always been a problem-child. I didn’t think he’d drag your own son into it.”

 

Gabriel seems happy to prompt Kate to talk about it, and Kate speaks about all the girlfriends that Dean had gone through when he was younger, as well as getting drawn in by false promises about what the Navy could do for him. John is watching where Castiel and Dean had gone. Naomi considers for a long moment before she stands and says, “Forgive me, but I dislike ending a luncheon with someone so upset, especially one of my children. I will be back in a bit. Please, enjoy the rest of the lunch.”

 

Though the others look a bit unnerved and upset with her leaving, Sam shifts and stands as well, offering up a warm smile. “Let me come too. I want to make sure Dean is okay.”

 

Somehow, she doubts that, but at the same time, the gesture is appreciated. She nods and walks out, allowing Sam to follow after her.

 

+

 

Castiel is quiet as he watches Dean pace, putting away the few items they’d pulled out from their bags, a few of the items in the small bedroom shifting and shaking as a bit as the Darkness starts to show. It’s something that he’s only ever seen a few times, mostly after too much denial of his true feelings. He’s never seen Dean have to face down his family though, and after that failed lunch, he can see why.

 

“Dean,” Castiel says as the shaking starts to affect more items, walking forward slowly and touching his wrist.  A red string is wrapped around it, hidden somewhat underneath a silver bracelet, the old charms the only thing left of Dean’s mother. The touch, along with Castiel wrapping his tail around the Human’s waist, prompts Dean to look over at him, Castiel frowning as he sees the telltale opening of white, surrounded by Darkness around him. “Dean, it’s okay. We’re leaving. You won’t have to talk to them again. We’ll head home, or to Vegas. I’m not keeping my family in my life if they are going to allow you to be harmed in such a way. Please, Dean.”

 

Dean swallows, leaning forward and into Castiel’s hold as he does his best to breathe, the Darkness slowly disappearing from around him as he comes back to himself, shaking a little. They’ve faced down a few Humans who had unluckily given in, and Dean had been good at talking more than a few down. But with himself, when something hits too close or too hard? Dean has the two reminders - red string for Castiel, a navy blue cord wrapped tight in a way that Benny knew how to do, the silver from his calm mother, the three added charms -  one gold from Emma, another copper from Claire, and a simple, silly ice-cream charm from Jodi and Donna - all of them served to ground Dean when things begin to overwhelm him in a bad way, and when his own Darkness threatens.

 

Still, Castiel has never seen it this bad, and he holds tight to Dean for a longer moment then normal, Dean breathing in the scent of Castiel’s fur as he pants a little, the near brush with that power making him shivery and tired. Resisting such things is always a problem, especially for Humans, and the Beasts’ prejudices towards Humans for having such a thing within them, for having that be the price of any power they might gain, always serve to be self-fulfilling prophecies of doom. Save for the last few times, since Kumotetsu and his decision to become the sword in a person’s heart.

 

“Thanks, Cas,” Dean mutters quietly, shifting to hold Castiel’s hand as he lets out another breath, calmer now. “I’m good, I promise.”

 

At a soft cough they look up to see Hannah standing nearby with a few items they’d left out in the main room, her eyes wide with obvious wonder. Castiel frowns at her, and his friend shifts before offering over the items. “I...wanted to apologize for not speaking up. I should have, but…”

 

“Kate likes to dominate the conversation, and so does Dad,” Dean mutters, reaching to accept the items and offering Hannah a bit of a smile. “Are you doing ok?”

 

She gives him a look, like she can’t quite understand him, before nodding. Castiel knows exactly that look - it’s the same that many others have given Dean. Despite being harmed or attacked, Dean will always do his best to ensure the safety of others first, or to make sure they are mentally fine, even if he is not. Castiel is trying to work on that, as are others, but they have also come to accept that Dean will always be like that, and offering him support no matter what is the best way to help him in his times of need.

 

“I...yes, I’m fine. I was actually just leaving.”

 

Dean shifts, casting Castiel a glance as the Fox Beast sighs. Apparently the short time with her means she is now considered a friend, and Castiel shakes his head fondly at Dean’s smile. “If you’d like, Hannah...we’re doing our marriage ceremony in Vegas. I know you haven’t been there, but I think you’d like it.”

 

“Oh, I--”

 

“We’re going to a Gordon Ramsay Steakhouse afterwards.” Castiel knows it’s a low-blow, and Hannah gives him a look that says she’s very upset with him for using her love of the British Human cook and his tendency to ensure his restaurants are always friendly to Humans and Beasts, as well as not allowing for any excuse when it came to serving certain foods or changing some of the recipes for specific needs. She’d always wanted to go to one, but hasn’t had the time or money. The news has sent her tail slightly wagging even has she tries to give him a glare that ultimately fails.

 

“I...suppose I can come along,” Hannah mutters, then says, “but I’ll have to ask Uriel to come too. He’ll want to see this.”

 

Dean chuckles and Castiel nods. Uriel is one of his best friends, and while he and Balthazar might not like Dean completely, they obviously see how happy the two are together, and he’s fine with the decision to invite him.

 

“I’ll give Benny a call. I think the girls will like Paris...like to meet you and Chuckles too.”

 

Hannah frowns as Dean moves to get his phone, waving to them both. “I’m fine, Cas. You can go and plan it with Hannah. I’ll get everything together.”

 

Castiel leaves, but doesn’t close the door as he glances at Hannah, who mouths, “Chuckles” at him with obvious confusion.

 

“Dean tends to nickname people. I’m sure he’ll figure one for you as well soon.”

 

She shifts and smiles, pulling Castiel into a hug and starting to say something before they hear a quiet knock on the door. The two frown as Castiel sees Dean stiffen, glancing at Castiel worriedly. The Fox shakes his head at Hannah as she tries to go near the door, looking back over to Dean and offering the Human a smile. Both finally nod before moving to start to pick up the items, Dean talking quickly to Benny on the phone as they pack things up. Castiel goes to open the door, glaring as he sees his mother and Sam Winchester outside, Naomi’s three tails moving unhappily as Sam looks over with some worry and confusion.

 

“Castiel--”

 

“I already made myself clear, and I am not changing my mind. I am no longer part of the Yang-na dojo, and there is nothing to talk about.”

 

“Look,” Sam says, “I felt that. What the hell did Dean do?”

 

Castiel glares at Sam, the tall Human not even backing down as he waits, Castiel shaking his head. “Dean did nothing. Anyone would be upset with being talked about and put down in such a way by his own family.”

 

“You’re saying that--”

 

“I’ve already said what I needed to,” Castiel interrupts, glaring at Sam as the Human shifts, obviously upset and angry, his own Darkness rising at the continued dismissal. “Now, we’re leaving, and I expect you both to leave us alone.”

 

Castiel’s mother holds out a hand, stopping the door from closing as she glares over at him. “Allow me to apologize for my behavior. Gabriel said he had heard things from Hester, and I felt the proper course was to observe and see how things were handled. If you and he are mated and married, then you must accept that we, as your family, should know.”

 

He sighs, wishing his mother could understand this. She probably does, he supposes, but at times, she reminds him too much of those Beasts who said a Human would always fall to Darkness, and thus felt fine with verbally abusing them because they would fall, so why not show it now? They never seemed to consider that the peace of the Beast World created prejudices as much as the violence of the Human World did.

 

“Then know this - we are mates, and will be married. You are not invited. I have a child, a daughter, whom you will never know because you choose to never act, to only observe and try to stand above the things that create Darkness as well as continue to perpetuate the issue by the few Humans who live and work with us. Dean has a daughter, who is a wonderful girl, and will never know his family because she is not to be exposed to such hatred, pettiness, and cruelty. We have friends who care for and love us,individually and together, and as of now, _they_ are our family. Not you, or you,” he glared at Sam, who was shaking and starting to show his own signs of Darkness, “or your family. Now, we are leaving, and I expect this to be our last conversation. Goodbye.”

 

Naomi is so surprised by things that she doesn’t even stop him from shutting the door on her. Castiel turns, seeing Hannah and Dean, both looking at him in surprise. He is not a Beast of many words, at least not spoken, but he will chastise whomever needs it when he’s angry at them.

 

“I would rather have you,” he finally said, “cursed by Darkness or not.”

 

Dean chuckles, pulling Castiel into a hug, and they head out of the bungalow and into the back, to where the Impala is parked. Hannah lets out a low growl as they look up, seeing Sam there, looking upset as he glances at Dean, obviously wanting to talk. Castiel looks over at Dean, moving to stand between them right before they hear a loud, “Dean Winchester!” from John. Sam appears upset by the interruption, turning to go and argue with his father loudly as Dean lets out a sigh, gripping Castiel’s hand and muttering, “Let’s just go. I don’t need this.”

 

“No, we don’t,” Hannah agrees, Castiel nodding as he turns before hearing his own name. He looks up and glares at his mother as she glances over at the two Humans, then back to them. “Go. I will deal with the mess I made.” He frowns at Naomi, surprised, before she said, “You are right. We perpetuate it as much as the Human World, and we try to cultivate it without understanding the root.” She looks away and then glances back at them. “If you do not want me to see my granddaughters, I will not. But hopefully one day, I will understand enough to meet them. And...there are other apprentices to take the Yang-na dojo.”

 

Castiel is quiet, looking at her, before saying, “I don’t like to hear platitudes, Mother, anymore than you. But...I will believe you if I see it done.”

 

Dean smirks at him as they get in the Impala, the car’s start causing the two arguing Humans to pause as they watch them drive away, Naomi stopping both of them from following down the driveway.

 

It’s quiet as they drive, watching as Naomi moves Sam back and puts something on his chest, a similar sign to one that Dean recognizes from the first time that Cas had to hold back his Darkness. Seeing it put on Sammy, with the three tails waving to keep Dad back, only makes Dean remember the times that he’d been the one between Sammy and Dad. Seeing Kate rush over to stop John as well, throwing the retreating Impala, and Dean, a dirty look that he remembers too well. It’s the same look she gave him when he told Dad and Bobby that he wasn’t going to work at their shops, that he’d joined the military and gotten his GED. It had been the same dirty look he’d gotten when he came home, claimed the Impala after seeing the condition it was in at Bobby’s yard, fixed it up because that was the _only_ freakin’ car he’d ever worked on, and then driven off with Benny when he’d stopped by.

 

“Well, this is another thing for me to blamed for,” Dean mutters as Cas moves closer, his tail curling over Dean’s lap and a hand going to his shoulder.

 

“You shouldn’t be blamed for your brother’s beliefs, nor for his lack of control,” Hannah chimes in, getting Dean to glance at her through the rearview mirror. “And they shouldn’t simply use the time to bring up old grudges. Your families are supposed to be coming together, not finding a reason to fall apart.”

 

“Even in the Beast World, that doesn’t happen,” Cas points out as Hannah lets out a sigh. Apparently this is an old talk the two had once had.

 

“Still no excuse.” She glances over at Dean before changing the subject. “What did that Benny person say?”

 

“Oh, they were already at the Paris.”

 

Cas lets out a sigh. “He shouldn’t have.”

 

“He knows my family, Cas. Hell, Dad and Kate barely tolerate him, but Sam actively tries to get me to leave. The two just...don’t like each other. I guess Sam’s possessive.”

 

The silence prompts Dean to turn on his radio, Leonard Cohen playing over the stereo as he frowns and glances at Cas, who offers only a smile before Dean just shakes his head and drives.


	7. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raphael and Sam talk, and Dean and Cas are married. Despite it all, they are happy.

Raphael goes to Naomi’s house after Uriel unsuccessfully sneaks out, entering into the black Impala that pauses only long enough for him to get in with an overnight bag. It’s not that he believes he has to, simply that he has a general...thought...about it.

 

Sam Winchester is currently under at least two spells to keep the Darkness in him at bay, and it’s enough for Raphael to glare at his family, who are skulking in the corner, and at Gabriel, who seems to be another source of the problem, if the silence charm he’s trying to throw off himself is any guess. Missouri Mosely is nowhere to be found, and Naomi is still with Sam, drinking bitter green tea and looking rather put out.

 

“So they went to get Uriel as well. I suppose that means I’ll have some photos of my grandchildren.” Raphael frowns at the announcement, looking between Sam, who is sulking under the charms, and Naomi before shaking his head.

 

“I honestly couldn’t care less about your family drama. You wanted to ‘meet’ his parents instead of simply allowing things between brothers to work out. Try to reign in Gabriel, at least, and I _might_ ask Uriel for some photos.” Naomi looks annoyed at the announcement before walking out, leaving Raphael to speak to his protegé alone.

 

Sam Winchester is as talented as Ichirohiko, and just as volatile. It’s a sad fact that such abilities tend to come hand-in-hand with the inability to realize how deep that Darkness goes, and it’s taken Raphael _years_ to master his own. Still, his came from a great deal of pressure, and training others to allow them to master their own Darkness, however it happens, is something he enjoyed doing. That he has help from Naomi was a boon, and that he’d met Sam, even if he has to deal with Brady and others like him, also helps.

 

His only issue is that Sam Winchester is _too stubborn_ in some things, and his belief that he knows what is best for his brother, no matter what, never seems to work out well for the young man.

 

“I’m not taking those off,” Raphael tells him, “until you tell me everything.”

 

Sam glares at him, and lets out a long, hurt sigh.

 

“Or we can do this like we had to with Ruby.”

 

Sam flinches at the name, one Raphael has had to bring up numerous times. It’s linked to a few pieces of Sam that he hates - his Boy King, his Lucifer - and Raphael’s help has only meant that while Sam understands the necessity for it, he hates having to go through it. The process is too long for Sam’s liking, and often painful.

 

“Dean was here.”

 

“A good start,” Raphael tells him, getting Sam to glance around as Raphael shakes his head. “We’re not leaving. Naomi will let us stay if needed, and if your parents need to stay too, to allow you to tell them what you really feel, I’ll arrange that too. But you cannot lose control so close to a border and think about walking away.”

 

Sam’s silence is long before he finally mutters, “You fired Brady.”

 

“Uriel disliked what he said about your brother and his relationship with Castiel. While I disapprove of Human and Beasts mating, I understand why they do. I would never mate with Naomi, anymore then she would mate with me. But I would not shame a pair.”

 

“Dean’s only doing it for the money.”

 

“Is he?”

 

Sam’s Darkness flares and he glares at Raphael. “ _Yes_. Dean is a womanizer, he doesn’t like guys! He doesn’t like Beasts! He--”

 

“You know your brother’s mind so well?”

 

“ _YES_.” More of the Darkness growing, Sam is oblivious to it. Raphael mentally sighes, noting how deep-seated that anger, that root of Darkness, is within him. He doesn’t hear another person approach before a new voice speaks up.

 

“Dean likes guys.”

 

The two look over at the new person, Sam’s Darkness morphing a bit but still contained as he frowns at the other young man. “Like you know him! He was barely there with you, Adam, and you--”

 

“I don’t hate Dean,” Adam points out, “and he was barely there because I was the thing Mom used to keep Dad in check.” Silence fell as Sam glares at him.

 

“Yeah, well, I saw Dean kissing boys in school. He asked me not to say anything, and I didn’t. He also beat up Michael after he tried something with me.” Sam’s glare suddenly lessens, his Darkness starting to fade.

 

“Mike...what did he do?”

 

Adam is silent and shrugs. “Does it matter? Dean took care of it and made sure Mom and Dad didn’t know. He made sure we were okay and had everything for school and taught me to defend myself.” More silence. “He told me about what happened before Dad married Mom. About life on the road. You _never_ said anything about it, just said that you were glad when he was gone and glad when you got to leave.”

 

Sam swallows, looking away before he says, “I...he has what I wanted with Jess. What I thought I was going to get, but instead...but...why does Dean get it? Why can’t I have it too?”

 

Raphael sighes, glancing at Sam before saying, “We’ve talked about this, Sam. Demanding what another has, simply because you want it, is selfish. Demanding what your brother has, simply because to you, it’s what _you_ want…”

 

“I want it with a Human,” Sam argued back, sounding petulant, “and I want it to be mine, not Dean’s. Dean’s isn’t really the same thing.”

 

Adam looks upset at that before asking, “Why not?”

 

“It...just isn’t,” Sam’s argument is one Raphael has heard numerous times from the young man, one he and others have yet to get to the heart of. “He’s Dean, it’s not the same thing.”

 

This is going to take a long while, and Raphael glances at Sam’s brother, who seems willing to wait and argue, but also seems defensive. “Adam, was it? I would like you and your parents to leave, if they want, or stay a day, but...please be aware that Sam and I will be talking a great deal. I don’t need them, or you, to confront him too much without a good reason. Thank you for talking about what happened between you and Dean with him, but this is something Sam has to focus on.”

 

Adam nods, glancing at Sam and finally saying, “Sam...I get it, it sucks that Dean is being weird with some Beast, but he is bi. At least...try to focus on that. And...besides, I don’t think he’d just abandon his kid. Even if it isn’t his.”

 

Sam is silent, thinking, as Adam leaves, Raphael silently praying for patience with this family. Why did they always--

 

“I’m sorry I had to call you in. I should’ve had a better focus on it. Dean has Darkness too, but the Beast said he was fine. I don’t…”

 

“He’s Naomi’s child; he knows how to deal with anyone who has Darkness, and unless it was a dangerous burst, he was probably fine. Stress also causes Darkness, remember?”

 

Sam slowly nods before letting out another sigh. “I wanna call him. I shouldn’t have thought that he was just doing that, but...he’s always been about women. About just one night stands, just love-em and leave-em. And...so was Dad, before Kate.” Sam swallows, looking ill. “Why do I always make it about me with Dean?”

 

“You were raised by an older brother, not by a father and mother. Though you have them now, you were raised for a long time with only that.” Sam had been forced to talk about that and his old desire to ‘be normal’ after the incident with Ruby and her attempt to create a powerful Darkness and take revenge on Humans and Beasts. Now with Brady around, talking the same issues in Sam’s ear...it’s no wonder that Raphael kicked Brady to the curb.

 

“I just...why can’t he be normal? Why can’t he just let me be normal and introduce him as my idiot brother?”

 

“Is he an idiot?”

 

“He’s nowhere near smart enough for college.”

 

“And? That doesn’t denote being smart, simply being able to get into college. Some are insanely easy to get into, last I checked.” Sam’s petulant look came back. “We’re talking about why his presence and your father’s caused this,” Raphael motions to the still-active charms, “and how to bring them down.”

 

Sam nods, shifting so he can look into himself, to figure out what it is about it that angered him. “I...I trust him, I trusted him, and I know him. He’s my big brother, I know all about him, but then he pulled the rug out from under me. I shouldn’t be blindsided by that. He’s my brother. I know him.”

 

“You barely know all of yourself,” Raphael reminds him, “and your knowledge of a person has gotten you into trouble before.” Sam flinches again at the reminder. “You know Brady is now out, and you are my only protege left. I expect you to work on what is happening, and to learn from it.” He glances at the door, grateful to see no one there. “I will ask Naomi for leave to stay here until the charms can be removed - they will come off when you master this burst of Darkness - but before that...I want you to apologize to your brother.”

 

Sam looked up in surprise before Raphael adds in, “Allow him to know what you feel, what you are going through, but respect that he doesn’t want to speak to you or allow you to meet his daughter. Not yet. Or...do you even want to be a part of their life?”

 

Sam is silent at that, thinking long and hard. Raphael knows that sometimes, Sam doesn’t need the added talk, but to simply look at himself and what he’s done, before he can work through it. It’s something that Raphael is glad that Sam is able to do, though it does take a moment for him to figure out what he needs.

 

“Yes. When we’re both ready, I want to be part of his life.”

 

+

 

Uriel is surly from his spot next to Hannah, who is the actual Maid of Honor for Castiel over Uriel being the Best Man. Benny is smiling as Emma shifts next to Claire, Alex sitting near them and looking a bit curious while Donna is recording and doing what Dean always thought his mom would do - cry during his wedding.

 

And yes, Benny was annoying and got freakin’ Elvis as another witness. And yeah, sure, the chapel group were totally fine - apparently they were not the first weird couple to come in tonight for a wedding, let alone the weirdest group. The vows are simple and the same as any normal ones - vows to protect, to love, to stand by the other until death do them part - and after exchanging the rings, the ones they’d worn hidden with their family and wouldn’t have to hide anymore, their kiss was met with cheers from everyone.

 

Benny and everyone had apparently little to no hope that the meet the family thing would go over well. That it went over so poorly because Dean’s family had come in suddenly…

 

He’s more amazed that Jodi hasn’t called everyone up and given them a long, _long_ speech. She’d transferred from Lawrence to their new town after becoming a widow and losing her kid to a car crash, and now she seems just happy to be raising Alex and helping her through her own issues. Granted, half the time that means dealing with personified-ray-of-sunshine Donna, but Donna is great. They all pile over to the Steakhouse, Hannah’s tail wagging happily at the smell as she tries to remain stoic about it, Uriel taking her arm and leading her into the room with the rest of the guests. Dean pauses as he feels his phone vibrate, frowning when he sees the number.

 

Apparently, even if they aren’t on speaking terms, Sam has to try to get the last word in. Dean sighes, motioning everyone to go in as Emma gives him a look that shows her worry.

 

“I gotta tell your Uncle Sammy off for calling,” he tells her, giving her a kiss on the forehead that has her frowning, wiping at it. “I’ll be there in a bit.”

 

Emma slowly nods and follows the equally worried-but-trying-not-to-show-it Claire in. The three - Alex, Claire, and Emma - are a tight bond of girls who had issues and who were somehow saved by either their biological fathers or a surrogate mother. Castiel looks over at Dean as he moves away, answering his phone and barely listening to the gaggle of people and Beasts who were doing various types of betting, the sound of the coin-operated slot machines happily sounding off behind him.

 

“ _Dean?_ ”

 

“What do you want, Sam?” Dean prides himself in being the adult and not referring to his brother by the nickname he always liked to put on him.

 

Sam’s silent for a long moment, then lets out a sigh. “ _I’m sorry I let things get that far. With Mom and Dad. But...you can’t just go and spring something like that on us._ ” Dean rolls his eyes at that as Sam continues, “ _I mean, you just...you’re dating someone that my boss knows, you’re acting like--_ ”

 

“Sam,” Dean interrupts, and his brother falls into sullen silence. “I love Cas, and he loves me. We’re married. We’re raising two great daughters, and I don’t need your approval or disapproval to love who I love. I don’t know what’s up with you, Sammy, and I don’t get you or Dad’s issue with this. You guys give me shit for bed-jumping when Dad was all proud for that for a few years. You forget that I had to focus on you for a while, and I tried to help out with Adam until Kate and Dad figured out their work schedule. I don’t get why you’re blaming me for everything right now. So, unless you have something to say, I’m going to go in and celebrate my marriage with my family.”

 

Silence, and Sam finally speaks before Dean can hang up. “ _I don’t get it. I don’t. I think you’re making a big mistake or...I don’t know. But...I don’t think you’re just trying for money or whatever, I just...think you’re not thinking right._ ”

 

“Yeah, well, you’re wrong, and I’m not going to waste my time convincing you. Not now. Goodbye, Sam.”

 

Dean hangs up, letting out a sigh as he walks back into the group, giving them a smile as he sits down and gives Cas a kiss. Cas looks over at him, and gives him a smile. “How was he?”

 

“Didn’t think I was making a good choice, but at least he doesn’t think I’m marrying you for money.” That makes a few of their friends glare, Hannah letting out a sigh and looking down at the menu before Dean shakes his head. “That’s on Sammy. I’m not going to work on convincing him when it’s our day.”

 

“Good,” Uriel pronounces, and everyone glances at him. “I barely like you, but I like him less.”

 

Dean smiles a bit as Uriel adds, “Still, I think Father and the others will help him out, and we’re getting a new trainee soon, to replace that shady character we just fired. She will be good for him, I’m sure.”

 

“If she gets him to stop being so selfish, that’s good,” Jodi mutters before Donna tuts.

 

“We’re here to talk about the happy couple, have drinks, and forget our diets! Let’s stop talkin’ about bad family and talk about the good.”

 

“Amen to that, sister,” Benny says as Cassie nods, raising her glass and saying, “Yes. To the happy couple! Live long, love hard, and be awesome.”

 

“To the happy couple!” everyone cheers. Dean and Cas laugh, cheering the others as well for their help as they begin to eat, the waiters all doing their best before Hannah’s breath catches when a white-blond haired man with wrinkles and an accent says, “So, who’s the happy couple?”

 

Dean points to himself and Cas before saying, “But...our friend over there is probably gonna have a heart attack if you don’t go over and give her a hug.”

 

Dean didn’t think a Hound Beast could _squeak._ He and Cas laugh as Jodi smiles at Hannah. Donna takes  a bunch of photos, and the three girls chat as Ramsay talks with them about the food, giving them a ticket to Hell’s Kitchen if they want to do a big celebration. Dean thanks him as Benny invites Ramsay over to their truck if he’s in the city, the celebrity chef chatting with Benny and Dean briefly about their work. He trades books and signatures with Cas before heading over to some others, an older gentleman and a rather excitable, dark-haired woman with him who turns bright red when he comes up to give her a hug.

 

Dean looks back at Cas, smiling and leaning over to give him a hug and kiss. “You doing good, Cas?”

 

“I’m wonderful. No matter what happens, knowing I’m with you is always lucky.”

 

Dean smiles at that, the group glancing up at the couple at the table before them. A day before, they’d been in a similar situation, but with Dean and Castiel having to work to remain calm while facing down all the family and friends they’d once had who didn’t believe in what they were doing. Now, with their new family, cobbled together and fitting in perfectly, Dean couldn’t be happier.  


End file.
